The Institute of Simplified Hydroponics

By: Charlene Rennick

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The Institute for Simplified Hydroponics is an international, charitable, non-government organization.  It was formed in 1995 to begin a project dedicated to solving the problem of world hunger.  The program is operated by volunteers who educate in and provide supplies to populations that would greatly benefit from learning hydroponic methods of growing crops.  The Institute for Simplified Hydroponics estimates that over 200 million families or 800 million people in the world do not have enough to eat and cannot grow their own food due to poor soil and poverty.

The intent of the Institute for Simplified Hydroponics is two-fold: to end world hunger and to do so in a way that does not have a harmful environmental impact.  The project has branches in Cuba, Sri Lanka, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Peru, Senegal, Venezuela and Mexico.  The project in Brazil has restored sustenance farming for many people who were slowly starving due to severe drought and lack of other options.  Hydroponic systems have successfully generated agriculture in countries where it has not been sustained before.

The reason hydroponic growing methods can provide a solution is because it does not require a large overlap of shared language to transfer the knowledge, and it is not dependent upon the soil conditions to succeed.  The equipment can be modified, recycled and varied while continuing to serve its function.  Plants can be watered by hand using small quantities of water.  Any discarded items can be used to hold plants from old sleeping pallets to bamboo sleeves.  The only tools the country must supply for itself is sunlight, air flow and temperature.

Because the start- up equipment is donated, hydroponic gardens are inexpensive.  People are able to maintain the operation using simple care-taking techniques.  Water and nutrients are recycled.  Hydroponically grown fruit and vegetables produce a greater volume of yield (six times the yield in less than one-third of the space) so there is the potential for some profit and not merely sustenance.

Hydroponic gardens can be set up without using electricity, fuel-based or mechanical equipment. The use of fertilizers can be limited to those derived from plant waste, composted chicken manure or bat guano as long as there is no danger of contamination from chemical or non-organic pesticides.  This aspect of hydroponic farming teaches some understanding of waste management principles and carbon-free living.  It recycles many materials that would otherwise be considered waste.   
If you are interested in volunteering or making a donation, please contact www.carbon.org.