# 1 Aquaponics officially turns three years old but shows maturity beyond its years…

Feb. 3, 2011 - PRLog -- When sitting down with Principal Operations Manager Andrew Dezsery M.Sc one feels that there is a lot more going on behind the deep brown eyes that ooze passion when he speaks of sustainable and green farming technologies.

While discussing method technologies for the aquaculture and horticulture industries Andrew explains how the business was developed from needs of value adding industry waste from recirculating aquaculture systems and creating a future sector for employment whilst providing Australia with bio secure foods.

“Our constant drive is the goal of providing green, carbon neutral, fresh and organic and sustainable foods to Australians whilst creating employment, water efficiencies, food security and functional and nutritious food products that can be grown in urban, rural or even rooftop systems’ he said cooly. USA imports nearly 40 % of its food and Australia imported $7BN worth of food rather than produce it locally.

He continued to explain how they also run courses and education programs for home dwellers to provide fresh food at the back door for their families whilst saving water and the delicate ecosystem from chemical over use and dependence.” Get healthy” he laughs “and stop blaming others when you get sick, after all you are what you eat.”

“Australia’s natural flora doesn’t require high nutrient loads and imported animals like cattle and sheep create nutrient overload to many of our ecosystems if not tackled correctly’ he emphasizes. “Rivers are chocking and become more saline from mismanagement and over use of fertilisers,” he said shaking his head.

Omega Fish Products developed a visual private research farm in integrated sciences to help in the drive of educating the Government agencies to grasp the efficiencies of integrated farming all to no avail and so #1 Aquaponics took this over last year to allow public interaction with otherwise inaccessible works such as theirs on site.

Andrew won a prestigious Fellowship award with the International Specialised Skills Institute in 2008 and travelled throughout North America and Canada in 2009 compiling Best Practice for integrated farming and present his document of recommendations to the Department of Education Employment and Work Relations.

“The valued support from the public sector has encouraged us to continue in the face of adversity and overcome hurdles when faced with public and government detractors who don't or won’t understand the efficiencies of our production models and the benefits to Australian farming” as he added. Andrew was nominated a Finalist in 6 categories in the AUSVEG 2010 and laughed when they didn’t take out first prize in any category “Our greatest lesson is believing in ones vision because it belongs to you and a mission statement of constant and never ending improvement helps us keep on track. Australia’s boys club is not for the feint hearted and luckily with both an Aussie spirit and as a first generation immigrant I don’t let that effect my drive.”

Andrew explained that as a non profit research farm to develop future industry, their business growth had been slow with dedicated staff working for very little personal gain but with the take over and new sales of their numerous manufactured products to the public sector this has been promising and the buzz worthiness of their services is attracting more customers and developing healthy cash flow.

“We are now focussed to attract wholesale customers for our produce/products and services and begin to establish a greater market penetration as our drive for commercial sector development continues” Andrew added. “With this, we can lead a path of commercial followers to the bank with commercial years of experience and financials for the mortgage jockeys.”

With farmers markets now demanding their produce, Andrew says with some pride,     “ Our goal of providing green, carbon neutral, fresh and organic and sustainable foods to Australians whilst creating employment, water efficiencies, food security and functional and nutritious food is paying off. We have folk telling us our produce lasts 4 weeks compared to shop bought produce lucky to see out a few days before rotting.”

“A worthy vision is worth pursuing when others also believe in your effort to succeed in providing solutions to global needs. A government partnership would be a great ally to opening the door to developing a successful commercial future for integrated sciences but from our experience…true sustainability is not taxable and from what we see with futile Government spending running as a poorly managed big business and constantly grabbing for more public taxes…this type of farming will never get their support.”

“ As a professionally qualified research, sales and services organisation with 20 yrs experience to our competitors and having a global personal network of industry experts whom we communicate with regularly… we will help build a global food production mentality that will become self sufficient at least while the opportunity is available. We look forward to many more birthdays,” he said.

The aquaponics 101 DVD interactive home study course available from Andrew is a unique first of its kind powerful learning programme that uses all the senses for learning as well as bleeding edge technologies of the internet with interactive virtual training online for those wishing a sharper learning curve.

“If you have broadband then you’re in for a treat” he says with a cheeky smile.

“We have had enquiries to sell our new DVD product over seas but for your own secure digitised and serialised 4 gig copy of an amazing learning curve, you can purchase it from our website,” he concluded.

Purchase copies from www.1aquaponics.com.au or www.aquaculture-advantage.com

# # #

Private research farm based at Lewiston in South Australia with over 48 years of combined commercial aquaculture, aquaponic and horticulture experience. Manufacturers of aquaponic equipment, education and consultancy services to the commercial sector.