Information Accessibility and Resource Usage by Aquaponic Stakeholders
ISSN 2158-9429
Volume 14, Issue 2 - December 2021
Editor: Linda Chalker-Scott
Abstract
Aquaponics has gained considerable attention in the past several years, bringing many new stakeholders into the fold. As with any new industry there are unknowns making newcomers susceptible to misinformation. It is critical to provide high quality information on relevant topics in appropriate formats to promote success within the aquaponics industry. This study assesses usage of various informational resource outlets and accessibility of quality information in nine competency areas by different stakeholder groups. Quality information was perceived as ‘moderately accessible’ in general, although this varied by stakeholder group and topic. Information on marketing food products and financial record keeping generally had the lowest accessibility ratings overall. The most commonly utilized information sources overall were internet and videos, books and library, and classes and workshops. The most commonly desired information resources overall were other aquaponic growers, Extension agents, classes/workshops, Extension publications, and manufacturers/suppliers. The three most unused resources across all groups were friends and family, consultants, and social media. This study provides a guide for prioritizing efforts to inform and support aquaponic growers for content providers like academics, consultants, public agencies, and non-government organizations.
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