The resort will use the system to cultivate a variety of herbs and vegetables and to breed freshwater tilapia.
Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa’s aquaponics system is constructed out of discarded materials found in and around the resort. It will soon be upgraded and powered by solely by solar energy.
KOTA KINABALU: Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa has expanded its corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts to include aquaponics, a self-sustaining food production system.
The process combines aquaculture, the farming of fish and hydroponics, the farming of plants in water.
The resort’s aquaponics project is a sustainable food production system constructed out of discarded materials found in and around the resort.
The system will soon be upgraded and powered by solely by solar energy. The resort will use this system to cultivate a variety of herbs and vegetables and to breed freshwater tilapia.
“We are excited to be the first hotel in Kota Kinabalu and the only hotel within the Shangri-La group to launch this aquaponics system. Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa is a strong advocate for environmental sustainability and this is proven by our recent awards won at the 2013 Prime Minister’s Hibiscus Award for Exceptional Achievement Award in the environmental performance and the coveted Sabah State Award,” said general manager Craig Powell.
Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru Resort & Spa will be collaborating with a non-governmental organisation to introduce aquaponics to rural communities in needs as a means of providing an alternative sustainable livelihood.
The resort also intends to introduce aquaponics to schools as an educational tool to teach students on the mechanics and advantages of this system in promoting a better environment.
A medium-scale interactive model of the resort’s aquaponics system can be viewed at STAR Marina for guests to discover the benefits of this alternate farming method through the expert knowledge of its resident marine biologist.