‘Sun Curve” a vertical aquaponic micro farm system
A poverty mitigation system that grows plants vertically, stands alone or attaches to walls, buildings, fences. Using cycled/recycled water sources. Creating gardens in areas that have limited access to arable land and water. The results are clean vegetables, plants, fish and electric power.
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
paul
Last Name
giacomantonio
Website
Organization
Inka Biospheric Systems
Country
United States
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
Inka Biospheric Systems
Organization Website
Organization Phone
650-619-2241
Organization Address
po.box 313,half moon bay,california 94019
Is your organization a
For‐profit
Organization Country
United States
Your idea
Name Your Project
‘Sun Curve” a vertical aquaponic micro farm system
Country your work focuses on
United States
Describe Your Idea
A poverty mitigation system that grows plants vertically, stands alone or attaches to walls, buildings, fences. Using cycled/recycled water sources. Creating gardens in areas that have limited access to arable land and water. The results are clean vegetables, plants, fish and electric power.
Website URL
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
OWe have developed a way to grow food with no land and very little water. The Sun Curve is a stand-alone ‘micro farm’ that grows plants vertically and cycles its water source through a fish tank. The fish’s effluent creates the nutrients for the plants and the plants/roots create the biological filter for the fish, consuming the ammonia/ nitrogen generated by the fish. The water from the fishpond can be filtered for drinking water. This is a closed loop system powered by solar, wind and batteries. The Sun Curve has enough power to run a laptop and cellular communications.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Yes
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
From our original ‘Sun Curve’ system, we have generated many new community and educational opportunities. The Sun Curve is being used as a model in science curriculum program in 7 countries K-12, teaching students to develop ‘closed loop’ symbiotic systems. Currently we are collaborating with the San Francisco Unified school district to create vertical gardens on their chain link fences, powered by wind, solar, battery, and weather stations. Creating a lab for the students and beautifying the school. Also, the Sun Curve has generated the ‘Wall Garden” a consumer product for growing plants, hydroponically on wall /fence. And the ‘stretch garden’ a carpet like grow medium. We are currently communicating with UNHCR concerning a pilot project in a camp or repatriation program. We are reaching out to all refugee and relief organizations.
Problem
There are over 2 billion people without water, food and housing. Scarcity is one of the main causes of war and conflict. There are over 45 million refugees/ IDP’s, the UN is expect 200 million refugees in the next 20 years. The Earth’s population will increase by 3 billion more people in the next 20 years. The aquifers are dropping in many countries and the earth’s carrying capacity has been over run. Now is the time to do something that will help the people that are at the bottom of the human family. All our systems have been designed to pick up people and communities through food water and housing.
Actions
We have spent more then 2 years in developing the technology and testing our systems in public. Through the news media, social networking, trade shows and outreach efforts, we have developed a product line for developed to developing communities. Through marketing our devises to the US, EU, Japanese, Middle East, China, Indian communities, we can use our profits to work on development projects worldwide.
Results
It is possible to help mitigate poverty by helping people get control of their water resources. Over 3 billion people live in urban environments, with no access to farmland and water. By reusing water and planting vertically, on the sides of buildings, etc. it is possible to create hydrocentric micro farms. Some of the same technology could help rural farms get more out of their water resources.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
Year1} Drive the costs out of our Bio Quilt grow fabric and “Wall Gardens”. Get the manufacturing process concise and exportable. Develop our marketing and sales. Set up pilot projects with NGO’s and corporations. Develop our educational systems for the schools, clinics, and museums. Make more progress with the media and social networking. Year 2}, Deploy our systems in many schools around the world, set up fabrication facilities on American Indian reservations, work with UNHCR, World Vision, Oxfam, Triangle, World Refugee organizations in many camps, and repatriation programs. Work with governments and corporations to focus resources on relief and disaster issue’s. Year 3} Export our manufacturing systems to communities worldwide to fabricate the Bio Quilt for growing food and managing water in their communities.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
Apathy, with all our projects we rely on an active partnership from our clients. . We determine which project we are going to get involved with based on the interest and ability of our partners. Our projects with the San Francisco school system are successful because of our relationship with the school principal; teachers, and the San Francisco unified school district. . The same with museums, there has to be a clear and active relationship with the administration and curators. And with the UN. there has to be an active 2-way collaboration.
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
In what country?
United States
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
No
If yes, provide organization name.
How long has this organization been operating?
1‐5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
These relationships brining in a wide range of intelligence, experience, resources, creativity and mentorship. As well as an outside point of view. Also, for guiding and building our company in a way that is sometimes hard from the inside only view.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
1) Developing revenue stream. This subject is well known for all start-ups. We are creating our own revenue stream by producing and marketing a product line based on our IP/ patents. The idea is to sell our product line to the developed world communities and use our resources to fund developing world projects. (i.e. water, food and housing programs in refugee projects, etc.) The complexity now is to bring in enough funds in the short term to fund our manufacturing and marketing projects. 2) Outreach, social networking and communication. Create alliances’ and community directives to start picking up the 2-3 billion people that need a hand right now. 3) Deployment, the actualization and installation of poverty mitigation systems and economic development associated with fish farming, micro farming and water reclamation.
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
I am a stonemason; I was building schools, wells, and gardens in Gabon. I noticed that the plants in my garden did better when I grew them vertically off the ground, away from insects, also. I work with fishponds; I noticed the water in the fishpond was loaded with nutrients that the plants would like. But the biggest break through is realizing you can grow full heads of cabbage, tomatoes, leafy greens, etc. in a 1” inch thick fabric, mounted on a wall, fence, almost anything. . The grow fabric (Bio-Quilt) became the biological filter for the fishponds. And, by working with microorganisms / nitrifying bacteria, we developed a new food growing system that uses very little water and filters water for plants, fish and humans.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
This is the hardest question of them all. I am the inventor of the ‘Inka Biospheric Systems’. In worked with many intelligent people that helped me get the systems right. From my experience in Africa and elsewhere, I feel very connected to everyone and responsible to leave an intact world for the next generations to come. That means taking responsibly to help all people have a fair start in life. Water, food and housing are a basic right for all humans. Health, education and economy is the next set of basic human rights that all humans need to experience for a fair, safe life. I hope to contribute to the human family by building a strong foundation for the human family for generations to come.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Newsletter from Changemakers
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
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 | 120 weeks agoa. b said: aloha paul, Thanks for your full-season-advice. Much appreciated! Ahhh, 3000ft & snowing...what a change in climate? eh? We'll ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 121 weeks agopaul giacomantonio said: Hi a., Thanks for the comments, I think I understand your situation. Having to deal with snowy conditions does change the calculus for ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 122 weeks agoa. b said: Aloha Paul, You (& your name of course) jumped back into mind recently when i was doing some indoor gardening and since the snow has ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 126 weeks agopaul giacomantonio said: Hi Naveen, Thanks for your response. I would like to be in contact with Gustavo Genusso concerning hand pumping water. The Sun Curve ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 132 weeks agoNaveen Shakir said: Hi Paul, I apologize for the trouble that you're having with our site, and we'd be happy to look into it. Would you mind giving me a ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 132 weeks agopaul giacomantonio said: Please tell me how to get in touch with you. I have had a hard time navigating change makers site. Best regards, ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 132 weeks agoNaveen Shakir said: Thanks for a great entry! An Ashoka Fellow from Argentina, Gustavo Genusso, has designed hand water pump technology that may help solve ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 140 weeks agopaul giacomantonio updated this Competition Entry. |
| 140 weeks agopaul giacomantonio submitted this idea. |
