New aquaponics rental service aims to reduce barriers for sustainable farming

Beginning this month, Aquponi Inc. has launched a new service to lease aquaponics farm space in Fujisawa City, Kanagawa Prefecture. The “Aquponi Rental Farm” is designed to support new entrants into aquaponics, reducing the financial risks and technical barriers typically involved in setting up such systems. The company hopes this will help foster interest and expansion in circular agricultural methods across Japan.

Aquaponics integrates hydroponics with aquaculture to create a closed-loop ecosystem where fish, plants, and microorganisms interact. This method boasts productivity up to seven times greater than conventional soil-based agriculture, with over 80% water savings. The new rental service allows individuals and companies, particularly those entering from other industries, understand and validate the aquaponics model before scaling up.

The Aquponi Rental Farm offers two rental options: a full-facility rental and a section rental within an aquaponics facility. The full-facility plan is priced at 150,000 yen per month, while a section rental can be accessed for as low as 90,000 yen per month.

Aquponi also provides technical support, including an IoT-enabled cultivation management app, and offers test marketing for cultivated products. The company shared that inquiries about aquaponics have been increasing in recent years, especially from companies interested in diversification or adopting sustainable practices. They plan to expand the rental service and continue lowering barriers for those interested in aquaponics.

The company believes that with more people adopting aquaponics, the country could see an increase in sustainable food production, reducing environmental impacts while maintaining productivity.