Enhancing Food Security for the Elderly through Accessible Aquaponic Systems

Around 80% of older adults in Indonesia have no pension, and 60% must continue working to support themselves. In Yogyakarta, which has one of the largest elderly populations in the country, around 60% of older adults are low-income agricultural breadwinners. Many of them must walk to distant farmland due to limited productive land near their homes. As they age, physical limitations make it increasingly difficult for them to continue working.

In addition, many older adults have limited dietary variety and insufficient protein intake, increasing their risk of sarcopenia.

Kopernik is testing the effectiveness of an accessible aquaponics system by adapting the design to match older adults’ reach and physical limitations. This accessible system will produce vegetables and fish in one integrated setup, helping to generate additional income while improving dietary nutrition.

This solution aims to provide an accessible system that older adults can easily use to improve their food security by meeting their nutritional needs, while also supporting their financial well-being by reducing expenses and/or generating additional income.