My name is Jiayi, and I am from China. I am a Master’s student in Development Practice at Trinity College Dublin. My undergraduate studies were in English Literature so Aquaponics was actually something completely new for me. In 2021, I experienced a severe allergic reaction to pesticide residues in food, which led my family and me to explore organic farming options. We discovered an aquaponics farm called Yogotime near my hometown of Chengdu, Sichuan, and began purchasing food from there. This experience sparked my interest in organic agriculture and aquaponics.

Motivated by this newfound passion, I chose to pursue a Master’s in Development Practice, hoping to contribute to sustainable agricultural development in the future. In early 2024, I volunteered at Sólheimar Ecovillage in Iceland. The country’s clean and pristine environment left a deep impression on me, and I became curious if Iceland also has some aquaponics farms. I searched online and eventually found Ísponica.

After connecting with Amber, I decided the title of my master’s dissertation “From Chengdu to Hofsós: A Comparative Analysis of the Opportunities, Challenges, and Practices of Aquaponics under Developed and Developing Contexts.” Through interviews with Amber and the founder of Yogotime, I gained deeper insights into aquaponics and proposed several potential suggestions for its development in both developed and developing countries.

I recently presented my dissertation at the Development Studies Association of Ireland 2024 Conference. As I approach graduation, I am eager to make a greater contribution to the future of aquaponics!