TURNING DESERT LANDS INTO FISHPONDS FOR AQUACULTURE

TURNING DESERT LANDS INTO FISHPONDS FOR AQUACULTURE

Technically speaking, lahar-covered lands in the Philippines are not much different from desert lands. Both are barren, both resist farming, and both are often seen as wasted spaces. But what if, instead of seeing them as wastelands, we viewed them as opportunities?

In China, they have already proven that deserts can be turned into fishponds. In the Taklimakan Desert of Xinjiang, often called the “Sea of Death,” controlled environments have been built where seafood and even pearls are grown in synthetic saltwater systems. If they can do it in one of the harshest landscapes on Earth, why can’t we do the same in our lahar plains in Pampanga, Tarlac, or Zambales?

To be clear, I am not talking about freshwater tilapia ponds. I am talking about seawater aquaculture—farms for marine fish and shellfish, created inland by mimicking the chemical, biological, and ecological properties of the ocean. The technology is not science fiction. Aquaculture scientists already know how to recreate seawater: start with freshwater, add the right balance of marine salts, and carefully adjust salinity, temperature, and nutrients until the fish “believe” they are swimming in the sea.

In fact, commercial marine salt mixes already exist for aquariums and aquaculture, used worldwide by marine breeders. Add to that an aquamimicry approach—where beneficial bacteria, plankton, and probiotics are cultivated to simulate natural food chains—and you can have a thriving marine ecosystem, even far from the coast.

Why Do This?

The benefits are obvious. First, livelihoods. Fisherfolk and farmers displaced by lahar could be trained and employed in marine aquaculture. Second, food security. Our growing population needs more protein sources, and fish is still the cheapest and healthiest option for many families. Third, land use. Instead of letting lahar lands remain idle, we could convert them into productive aquaculture hubs.

China is already doing this on a massive scale. Their desert aquaculture farms are producing not only fish but also pearls, while their deserts also host solar megaprojects and eco-tourism initiatives. What was once barren is now a driver of local economies.

Can We Do It in the Philippines?

Why not? We have scientists and engineers. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) could lead the initiative, supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for technical research and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for land-use policies. State universities in Central Luzon could become training centers, while LGUs could provide the land and manpower.

Even TESDA could come in by developing specialized training programs for aquaculture technicians. After all, maintaining synthetic seawater systems requires monitoring salinity, pH, oxygen levels, and biological balance—skills that can be taught.

Challenges to Overcome

Of course, this won’t be simple. Building fishponds in lahar lands would require reliable water sources, energy for pumps and filtration, and constant technical supervision. Costs could be high at the beginning, but if China’s experience is any indication, these investments can pay off in the long term. Moreover, using renewable energy—say, solar farms in lahar areas to power aquaculture systems—could lower operating costs and make the initiative more sustainable.

A Strategic Opportunity

This is where systems thinking comes in. By combining aquaculture, renewable energy, and local livelihood, lahar lands could become self-sustaining eco-industrial zones. Imagine Pampanga not only exporting tilapia, but also producing shrimp, sea bass, or even oysters inland—using technology that turns waste land into wealth land.

The Philippines has always been blessed with coastlines, yet ironically we import some of our seafood because of overfishing and degraded marine habitats. Turning lahar lands into synthetic seawater fishponds would diversify production and lessen the pressure on our seas.

The Big Question

So, why not let us do it? Why not convert lahar-covered areas into marine aquaculture farms that create jobs, strengthen food security, and showcase Filipino ingenuity?

The land is there. The technology exists. The need is urgent. The only missing ingredient is leadership—the political will to launch pilot projects, bring agencies together, and invest in a bold vision.

If deserts in China can produce pearls, surely lahar lands in Pampanga can produce prawns.

Ramon Ike V. Seneres, www.facebook.com/ike.seneres

iseneres@yahoo.com, senseneres.blogspot.com 

01-07-2026

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

HOW IS THE CRIME RATE COMPUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES?

HOW IS THE CRIME RATE COMPUTED IN THE PHILIPPINES? When we talk about the crime rate in the Philippines, we often assume that the figures we see are accurate reflections of reality. But have we ever paused to ask—how exactly is the crime rate computed? Where does this data come from, and how reliable is it? The computation of the crime rate in the Philippines is officially handled by the Philippine National Police (PNP). The formula itself is straightforward: Crime Rate = (Total Reported Crimes / Total Population) x 100,000 This simple equation gives us the number of crimes per 100,000 people, allowing for fair comparison across regions and time periods. However, the reality behind these numbers is more complex than it appears. Data from the Ground The foundation of our national crime rate is empirical data collected at the grassroots level—from individual police stations scattered across the country. Every reported crime is logged in local police blotters, forming the buil...
Read more

GREY AREAS IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS

GREY AREAS IN GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONS Dear Mr. President: May I ask who is going to be the arbiter or referee whenever there are overlaps in functions between two or more government agencies? I imagine that there would be no problem if these agencies would just cooperate and collaborate with each other, but what if they are unable to settle their differences and they would just end up throwing blame at each other or finger pointing at each other? Allow me to cite some examples. Who is supposed to take the lead in waste to energy projects? Is it supposed to be the DENR that is supposed to handle waste? Or is it supposed to be the DOE that is supposed to handle energy generation? Or is it supposed to be the DILG since it is the one that could direct or influence the waste to energy projects of LGUs? Who is supposed to take the lead in producing and promoting the use of biofuels? Is it supposed to be the DA, since the production of biofuels is supposed to be all about planting biofuel ...
Read more

LOCALIZED FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES

LOCALIZED FREE AMBULANCE SERVICES As it is supposed to be, anyone in the Philippines should be able to dial 911, and a telephone operator should be able to dispatch fire, rescue, ambulance and police (FRAP) units as soon as possible, based on acceptable response times. I invented the FRAP acronym for easy recall, and I hope it sticks, if there is no other alternative. Unfortunately, due to a mixture of technical and political reasons, the Philippines has not adopted 911 as a national number, because some LGUs would rather use their own three-digit numbers such as 117 and 168. I actually proposed a technical solution to that problem, but it was not adopted either. For whatever it is worth, my solution is to install a call forwarding system that could route all calls to a central operator, regardless of what number is dialed. It is very sad for me to know that up to now, even if our country is already over one hundred years old, there are still many LGUs that do not have fire trucks. it ...
Read more