In an effort to boost the economy and foster entrepreneurship among thernB40 group at Sekolah Kebangsaan Padang Jawa (SKPJ), a smart solar-powered aquaponic system has been created to meet the government's goal of doubling agricultural productivity through food production by 2030. With low incomes and rising costs of raw materials, including fish and vegetables, the B40 community at SKPJ is significantly burdened. Associate Prof. Ir. Ts. Dr. Suzi Seroja Sarnin, Ir. Dr. Wan Norsyafizan W. Mohamad, and final semester students from School or Electrical Engineering,
UiTM, have worked together to develop this smart solar-powered aquaponic system, providing an effective solution to maintain the raw material supply chain. The headmaster of SKPJ, Mr. Salahuddin bin Nayan, along with the teachers, played a key role in the project's success.
This innovative agricultural technique combines aquaculture with hydroponics and includes a monitoring system for water quality, fish and vegetable growth, automatic fish feeders, and water quantity control in fish tanks. Nutrient-rich water from the fish tanks is channeled to the plants and then returned to the fish tanks. The primary advantage of this system is its efficient water use, utilizing harvested rainwater and ensuring environmental sustainability. In addition to transferring agricultural technology to students, they are also trained to create platforms to market agricultural products digitally and analyze profits from the system. Aligned with the sustainability agenda and government direction, this project ensures local food security in line with Sustainable Development Goal 2, "Zero Hunger". This smart agricultural innovation has a significant impact on income-generating opportunities and job self-sufficiency in food production, boosting the rural economy, particularly for the B40 groups.
The development of this system involves collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Fisheries in Selangor. The Fisheries Department provides fish fry as initial seeds and expertise in fish care and water quality management, while the Agriculture Department supplies vegetable seeds and hydroponic system care methods. This cooperation is essential to achieving collaborative knowledge transfer to the target group and leveraging agricultural technology expertise to drive the B40 group\'s economy.
Income generation through the aquaponic system includes three aspects: sales of aquaculture products, sales of hydroponic products, and sales of preserved fish products. Marketing of agricultural products can be done in various ways and through different channels, such as independently or through wholesalers or retailers. Hydroponic crops can be harvested once they reach the desired maturity level, typically in the fourth or fifth week, for vegetables like spinach, mustard greens, and lettuce. Aquaculture product marketing can be conducted using live sales, fresh sales, and frozen sales methods.
This project can significantly impact B40 students at SKPJ. Besides driving the economy of this group, the project provides early exposure to students to biology within the ecosystem, recognizing technology in agriculture, fish and plant cultivation methods in a closed-loop system, IoT technology, and more. The project offers students experience working on group science projects and early exposure to entrepreneurship and small-scale farming. The fish and vegetable yields can be supplied to hostels as a source of healthy and fresh food.
Moreover, the project promotes a green technology culture within the school community, as the aquaponic system produces healthy food and positively impacts the environment. Considering the government\'s goal to make Malaysia a carbon-neutral country by 2050, this project shows the university and school's commitment to driving the nation toward food sustainability and eco-friendliness. It raises public awareness and encourages the use of green technology by incorporating solar panels as an energy source. It is hoped that such projects can be introduced to other schools, extending the objectives, benefits, and advantages to school cooperatives.
The smart aquaponic system designed at the school has great potential to contribute to the vision of zero hunger. Through this approach, the school promotes holistic education and practical basics and plays an active role in developing food sustainability within the community. The smart aquaponic system provides practical and comprehensive education about modern agriculture by learning how to plan, manage, and maintain the aquaponic system with the help of IoT technology. Thus, the smart aquaponic system at school is an investment in future education and a practical step towards achieving the goal of "zero hunger" globally. This is a tangible example of how education, technological innovation, and environmental awareness can collaborate to create positive change in our society.
