ICAFF Projects
Like many large cities around the world, finding suitable land in Havana for growing food is difficult. Much of the food is grown in the rural areas of the island and must be shipped from long distances. This adds to the price and scarcity of produce. This is changing with the incredible innovation and resourcefulness of the Cuban people. Due to the demise of the Soviet Union and the embargo by the United States, many agricultural chemicals became unavailable. As a result, farmers had to go back to nature and much of the food is organic and non-GMO, but sometimes difficult to obtain.
We travelled to Cuba to build prototype Aquaponic systems for use on rooftops, which are abundant and sunny. While challenging due to local resource limitations, the systems were built successfully by thinking outside the Aquaponic box. We ultimately build a sturdy system using milk crates - MilkCratePonics!
The Family Garden Initiative
El Salvador
ICAFF is helping to develop a commnity Aquaponic systems in San Jose Villanueva, El Salvador to help supplement food in the villages. Both backyard and multi-family gardens are being planned.
Puerto Morelos
Yucatán Peninsula
Puerto Morelos is located on the Yucatán Peninsula. As this is a maritime area, most fruits and vegetables must be shipped in from other locations. Currently, ICAFF is developing Aquaponic systems for local restaurants and markets to help subsidize the food supply there.
MaaBara Aquaponic Centers
Kenya
ICAFF is currently assisting MaaBara in Shymtent, Kazakhstan and Lenya, Kenya to develop Aquaponic systems for family and community use. These systems are being designed to propogate scalable local food productions centers througout the regions.
Syrian Refugee Crisis
Turkey
Currently we are working in Turkey to aid the refugees flooding in from the Syrian situation. Aquaponics offers an incredible opportunity to help those in need as a result of Civil War. Aquaponics can be localized and thus negate the need for large commercial fields to grow food.
Pan de Vida
Sandoval, Mexico
Located in Sandoval, Mexico, the Pan De Vida facility provides food, shelter, education and Christian guidance to over 45 women and children. For most of the children, it is the first structured environment they have ever known.
Casa Hogar, Corazon Grande
Reynosa, Mexico
Corazon GrandeLocated in Reynosa Mexico, Casa Hogar, Corazon Grande is an orphange that has been in operation since 1996. ICAFF built several Aquaponic systems there to help support the orphanage and assist them in becoming more self-sufficient.
Ann Richards School for
Young Women Leaders
Austin, Texas
ICCAF recently facilitated an Urban Farming training class for students at HausBar Urban Farm in Austin, TX. The class covered many aspects of horticulture, aquaponics, and animal husbandry. It was part of their overal environmental sustainability curriculum.
Glory House
Cedar Park, Texas
Located in Cedar Park, Texas, Glory House is a safe, structured, and loving home created for women in transition. For some of the women at Glory House, this is the only family they have known. ICAFF is currently building an extended food garden to teach food growing skills.
Twin Lakes Training Center
Austin, Texas
Located in Austin, TX, the Twin Lakes Training Center will be a place for individuals, families and other non-profit organzations to be taught the many methods available for growing their own clean food. Approaches will include Aquaponics, innovative soil based approaches, and greehouse management systems.
The Circle Acres Nature Preserve and Center for Sustainable Futures
Austin, Texas
Based on TransFarming techniques, ICAFF is helping Circle Acres build a Training Facility designed to teach families how to grow food sustainably. These approaches work together for the greater whole. Aquaponic training will be offered as part fof the program.
Youth With A Mission
Costa Rica
Located in Heredia, Costa Rica, YWAM's Environment and Resource Stewardship School helps train students on food related issues that have aided environmental / medical work in Loita Hills, Kenya, refugees in Taiwan, Mbita, Kenya and Ometepe, Nicaraqua and relief efforts in Haiti after the earthquake. ICAFF built an Aquaponic traning facility in Costa Rica for the purpose of training trainers to return to their native countries to train others in Aquaponics.
Isaiah:55 Deaf Ministries
Reynosa, Mexico
Isaiah:55 is a grace-based mission that evangelizes the communities of Mexico through the education of the Deaf - an unreached and often neglected people group. A vital part of this mission is ministering to volunteer work teams as they join us in fulfilling the great commission.
The Austin Disaster Relief Network
Austin, Texas
ADRN's mission is to serve Christ by establishing a church network that will meet the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of those affected by disaster. To support these efforts, at the ADRN's Lifestyle of Preparedness Conference, an Aquaponic system was built on location and over 300 attendees were trained in Aquaponics over that weekend. A follow-up Workshop was conducted the following weekend.
RNDC
Austin, Texas
The Riverbend Neighborhood Development Center's goal is to create neighborhhoods that generate economic, social, creative and spiritual enrichment to the local community. One of their approaches is through Aquaponic research and development. Designed to be used as a model for Aquaponic teaching both domestically and internationally.
Family Farms
Vulcan, Panama
Located in the Northern region of Panama, we consulted with several familites to help in expanding the burgeoning Aquaponic community. Many systems have been developed as a result of these efforts which offer a vialble alternative to commercially grown fruits and vegetables.
World Hunger Relief
Waco, Texas
Several people from World Hunger Relief have been trained by members of ICAFF. Upon returning to World Hunger Relief, Aquaponic systems were built with a goal for international development.
The Down Home Ranch
Elgin, Texas
The Down Home Ranch is a working family farm and ranch for people with intellectual disabilities. Wishing to expand their food production capabilities, DownHome invited us to help them construct a demonstration Aquaponic Center from which to teach others and raise funding.
Pickle Elementary School
Austin, Texas
Through a generous grant, Pickle Elementary is poised to have a top rate garden on their campus. We developed the foundation, which included several wicking beds, to teach students and parents about the many benefits of Aquaponics and family farming.
