The 2021 city of Phoenix Arizona Backyard Garden Program is funding the installation and comparative study of backyard gardens using aquaponic plant and fish production, raised beds, and other water conserving growing methods as well as training in their use for 90 residents located in food deserts within 4 of its 15 administrative districts called Villages.
The 5th largest city in the United States, Phoenix has a centuries old agricultural heritage. Aquaponics however, is a comparatively new method of growing. Thus the development of a local food system based on small-scale aquaponic plant and fish production will require the marshaling of existing often legacy resources, such as feed stores, along with the development of catalytically innovative social, technical and business solutions to create the support network for this farming effort. With a focus on the aquaponics component, this review describes some of the initial processes being employed to accomplish this task.