Controlled Environment Agriculture (CAE)
Protected Cropping
Protected cropping is the use of structures, together with key technologies (and appropriate practices) to address environmental constraints of crop production.
Protected cropping represents a continuum from Low Cost protected cropping (LCPC) right through to Controlled environment horticulture (CEH).
Low Cost Protected Cropping (LCPC)
Low cost protected cropping is a subcategory of protected cropping which has the distinct objective of a short payback period. To this end, it typically represents a minimised capital outlay too, hence the notion of "low cost".
LCPC has a focus on a single specific or limited objective.
Soilless Systems (hydroponics)
Soilless production systems, also known as hydroponics are a method of plant production which does not use soil and all the nutrients are supplied in water.
There are 3 main categories - water culture, substrate culture and air culture (aeroponics).
Aquaponics
Aquaponics is the integration of two intensive and efficient production systems - aquaculture and hydroponics.
Aquaponics exploits the benefits of natural resource cycles and similar technologies to increase the productive output of farm inputs.
