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NZ community wants self-sufficiency: generating power and growing veggies

The Mataura and Districts Marae plans to become self-sufficient by generating its own power and starting a commercial aquaponics business.

Chairman Terry Pohatu said the Marae was investigating installing an 80 Kw hydroelectric power plant on the Waimumu Stream, which would provide power to the Marae and the four flats it owns, and pump water to a terraced aquaponics garden it plans to establish on 7ha of wasteland behind the wharenui.

The gardens would grow commercial watercress and puha, and native lamprey, eels and freshwater crayfish, which could also be sold commercially, would feed on the organic material in the water, he said.

Marae project manager Oti Murray said the venture would "empower every member of the hapū".

"We want to be in a position where we can give our young people loans to start their own businesses."

The aquaponics garden would be 50m long, four storeys high, and would turn over a crop every five weeks, he said.

Read more at Stuff (Rachael Kelly)
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