Gyeonggi Province Marine and Fisheries Resources Research Institute to Provide Aquaponics Vegetables Free of Charge to 10 Locations

[Suwon Ilbo=Park No-hun Reporter] Gyeonggi Province will provide free leafy vegetables such as lettuce and salad produced through 'aquaponics,' a hydroponic farming system using fish, as food for vulnerable populations.

The Gyeonggi Province Marine and Fisheries Resources Research Institute announced on the 25th that it will provide salad and leafy vegetables free of charge to 10 'Gyeonggi Food Just-Sharing' corners (Bucheon, Seongnam, Osan, Dongducheon, Yangju, Uijeongbu, Yangpyeong, Yeoju, Icheon, and Yongin) through the end of this year to share food with vulnerable populations.

'Aquaponics' is a compound term combining fish farming (Aquaculture) and hydroponics (Hydronics), referring to a method of growing and harvesting fish and crops together.

Organic substances generated during fish farming become nutrients for plants, while plants purify water quality to maintain aquatic environments suitable for fish farming.

Vegetables cultivated in aquaponics are eco-friendly agricultural products with lower nitrate concentrations in leafy vegetables compared to conventional open-field or hydroponic vegetables, offering a storage period of more than two weeks and superior taste and texture.

The Gyeonggi Province Marine and Fisheries Resources Research Institute will provide the research harvest to 10 'Gyeonggi Food Just-Sharing' corners equipped with facilities capable of storing and utilizing leafy vegetables.

From the 19th to the 21st, the institute provided the first distribution of 10kg of salad and leafy vegetables per location, with plans for 3-5 additional distributions by year-end.

Kim Bong-hyeon, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Marine and Fisheries Resources Research Institute, said, "By providing the harvest produced through provincial research projects to citizens and socially vulnerable populations using the 'Gyeonggi Food Just-Sharing' corners for meals and lunch boxes, we will guarantee fundamental food rights and serve as an excellent opportunity for our institution to exemplify and expand a culture of community contribution."