Ruth Jepchumba
Lieve Claessen
Laura Ngundo
Sana Arora
Sangita Kapoor

The School Fish Pond Project - Facilitating Economic Growth and Nutritional Accessibility

Kenya, Nairobi County

Economic development

The sustainability project implemented at a local school aimed to address the dual objectives of providing affordable nutrition and creating economic opportunities within the community. However, its initial success was marred by a narrow focus on economic sustainability, neglecting crucial socio-economic and environmental considerations. This oversight resulted in a decline in management efficiency, yield, infrastructure, and resource utilization, ultimately hindering the project from achieving its long-term objectives.

The School Fish Pond project presents a compelling scenario for our course assignment due to its potential to illuminate prevalent mindsets within food communities. By examining the project's trajectory, from successful collaboration and resource mobilization to eventual decline, we gain valuable insights into the limitations of conventional approaches. Furthermore, this case serves as a pivotal entry point for introducing alternative paradigms, holistic methodologies, and sustainable strategies to the school and broader community.

Our aim is to leverage this project as a catalyst for transformative change, instigating a shift towards regenerative principles that harmonize human activities with ecological systems. By fostering a new mindset within the school and surrounding community, we envision enhanced community interaction, collective learning, and the equitable sharing of food and environmental resources for the greater good.

Through our exploration, we seek to understand the potential of educational institutions, particularly schools, as drivers of multifaceted issues such as health, nutrition, food security, economic development, and environmental stewardship. We aim to investigate how food systems can serve as a conduit for altering mindsets, fostering the adoption of sustainable practices, and nurturing the well-being of both people and the environment within the community.

The inception of the school fish pond project was driven by the overarching goal of enhancing the economic viability of the school while concurrently addressing the need for accessible nutrition within the school and its surrounding community.

The project's primary objectives were twofold:
1. Production of Affordable Nutritious Food Options:
The project sought to establish a sustainable source of nutritious food within the school's ecosystem. By cultivating fish within the pond, the aim was to provide affordable and nutrient-rich dietary options to students and the wider community, thereby addressing food security concerns and promoting healthier dietary practices.

2. Economic Improvement through Trade of Food Produce:
In addition to fulfilling nutritional needs, the project aimed to generate economic value through the trade of food produce. By leveraging the surplus yield from the fish pond, the school intended to engage in commercial activities, fostering economic empowerment within the community while simultaneously supporting the financial sustainability of the educational institution.

These objectives underscored the project's dual commitment to fostering community well-being through improved access to nutritious food and facilitating economic development through agricultural entrepreneurship.