Students launch Nineveh’s first aquaponics farming project

MOSUL — Three university students in Mosul have launched an aquaponics farming project that combines fish cultivation with soilless agriculture — a system they say is the first of its kind in Nineveh governorate.

The initiative, titled “Aquaponic Farming,” was created by civil engineering student Mustafa Adnan and his sisters Aseel and Aya, both studying environmental sciences. The method involves growing plants using nutrient-rich water from a fish tank instead of traditional soil.

“Aquaponic farming is an integrated system combining plants and animals — in this case, fish,” Mustafa Adnan told 964media. “This idea has been tried in southern Iraq, but this is the first model in Nineveh.”

“We added a fish tank to the system. Fish waste feeds the plants,” he said. “The plants are placed in perforated plastic cups inside a plastic pipe, where water from the fish tank flows upward and then recirculates. The cycle continues.”

The team uses clay pebbles in place of soil, which Mustafa said helps accelerate plant growth. “The plants grow faster in clay pebbles compared to soil.”

He said the project began when his sisters proposed the idea and he offered to help implement it. “We started the project together a month ago because I’m passionate about agriculture, and I saw it as an unexplored idea in Nineveh.”

Aseel Adnan explained the growth process further. “The plants depend on the clay pebbles for nutrition, which helps maintain moisture and stability,” she said. “Also, the ammonia gas and organic materials produced by the fish feed the plants.”

The project’s pilot phase focuses on leafy greens, but the siblings hope to expand.

“If the idea develops, we’ll grow strawberries, tomatoes, and lettuce,” Aseel said. “We hope the project will grow in the future, especially if it receives support from government institutions or international organizations.”