Aussie Helpers experiments with aquaculture

After 16 years of delivering drought aid to the people who produce Australia’s food, the Aussie Helpers’ founder is convinced that more needs to be done to connect both rural and urban schoolchildren with the origin of their meals, drinks and snacks.

As well as raising awareness of the reason for helping struggling farmers in times of drought, the initiative would deliver fresh food and vegetables.

“We believe in the bush and we think it’s important for kids to know these things,” Brian said. “We’d like to see kids look after the pods, then pick and eat the food they produce.”

Recycling some of the many IBC (intermediate bulk container) pods that stock feed sustenance has arrived to the Aussie Helpers drought aid headquarters at Charleville in, the project is in an experimental stage prior to engagement with schools.

Brian said everything would be supplied by the charity, including vegetable seedlings, fish fingerlings and the submersible pump, and the pods would be disassembled for shipping to schools.

In rural areas, Brian imagined the produce could supplement any dietary deficiencies brought about by financial hardship, noting that rickets and boils had been identified by medical staff at Longreach at the height of the 2015 drought crisis.

“I’m sure it will work,” he said. “The beauty of it is, you can have Murray Cod and barramundi in the water and they’ll provide food in 10 months.”