At the heart of our aquaponic projects in Cambodia is the Sen Sok Campus. Located in northwestern Cambodia, the center is our main training location and also the largest aquaponic production site in the country with over 6,000 gallons of fish tanks and a 2,400 square foot commercial-grade greenhouse.
The primary purpose of the campus is to train villagers on larger systems before receiving their own, smaller one as part of our outreach program. For them to become eligible for that program, the candidates must work 40 hours with us on-campus over the course of 30 days. When they meet this requirement and others, the construction of their system starts (learn more).
But Community First campuses are not just where aquaponics is taught, it’s also where it was developed, amongst many other practical applications of social innovation. From bio-digesters that turn cow dung into biogas for a kitchen stove to the development of superfoods like spirulina to further combat malnutrition, our campuses also dedicate a lot of their time on Research & Development (R&D) projects to create new solutions and further current ones, like aquaponics.
The aquaponic program at the Sen Sok campus focuses on farming high-value-added crops and fish so as to introduce these techniques to the subsistence farmers we train. Training them on a more advanced and diversified system not only guarantees they will be able to successfully farm their aquaponic system at home, but it also shows them the potential of aquaponics’ scalability and potential for profitability.
In addition to training current and new students at aquaponics, the staff on campus is also researching ways to make our home systems more efficient and more profitable by developing an airlift pump system that would greatly reduce maintenance and energy costs, while researching the use of high-value-added fish varieties like barramundi and crayfish in aquaponic systems.
Huntington Exhibit
As part of its strategic partnership with Rotary International (District 5300), Community First was invited to setup its aquaponic family system on display at the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in the spring of 2019. Today, the exhibit welcomes ticket holders every Saturday morning as part the Ranch Garden's Open house.
Come and visit us, and you will see a full-scale system at work. A guided tour will be provided by a Community First representatives, and you will be able to meet and connect with Master Gardeners of the University of California Extension who are there to take your gardening questions. Fresh produce from the Ranch is available to sample every week!
Community First at the Ranch Open House Every Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM FREE with general admission
The Huntington Library, Museum Collections, and Botanical Gardens (Map)
1151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, CA 91108
For ticket sales & other information, visit The Huntington.org
This exhibit is closed until May 31st in response to the pandemic. The Huntington has suspended all events, including the Ranch Garden's Open House which made our exhibit to ticket holders in order to respond to the need for social distancing. Read the statement from the Huntington Library's website.
In-Classroom Workshops
Community First's Award-nominated aquaponic educational program is once-again available to the classroom! Our trainers provide a full curriculum of activities in the STEM fields that are connected to aquaponics. Live sciences, health & nutrition and science & engineering all find a tangible, exciting and important application.
The objective of this workshop series is to empower young people to become the change they want to see in the world through education and a field of expertise. Educational institutions are invited to inquire using our messaging tab.
Are you a teacher or faculty looking for an awesome hands-on project for your class? Are you a student leading a club, or looking for opportunities to publish on matter of importance? We'd love to hear from you!