Edible plants that like the salty waters of Makoko


Below are the plants I intend to try growing with the poor in Makoko - these plants are edible and can be sold for food.  They will also help to clean the waters of Lagos Lagoon which has high levels of ammonia based chemicals in the lagoon.  The aquaponic systems will pull water from the lagoon into the plant troughs which will also help make the mud looking waters look cleaner and hopefully smell better.  

One of my first goals on arrival will be to survey the local plants along the banks of the Lagos lagoon to evaluate which plants can be grown for profit within the aquaponic system.



We will start with aquaponics because it's easy to begin with growing plants from the rich lagoon waters with a simple pump and troughs mounted on the outer walls of the houses.  The illustration above is a complete aquaculture system (includes fish production) which will be an upgrade from the starting system that just uses brackish lagoon water.  So imagine the system above using the water from the lagoon and not from the roof with no fish bladders.  This should make the house look colorfully green and fresh.  The priority is to choose halophytes (salt loving plants) that can be eaten or sold. 

Our second goal will be to add a fresh water system from the plentiful rains.  So, when completed, the system will have a way to grow both salt and fresh water plants for sale.  And, there will be fresh water fish for sale.   

Chat GPT says:

Halophytes are plants that are adapted to grow in saline or saltwater environments. While there may be halophytes along the banks of the Lagos Lagoon in Nigeria, it is challenging to provide a comprehensive list of edible halophytes specific to that region without access to up-to-date botanical surveys or local knowledge. The availability and diversity of edible halophytes can vary depending on the specific location, climate, and ecological factors.

However, some examples of halophytes that are known to be edible in general include:


  1. Salicornia: Also known as samphire or sea asparagus, Salicornia species are commonly found in coastal regions and are consumed in various cuisines.



Suaeda: This genus of plants includes several edible species, such as Suaeda maritima or sea-blite, which are known for their salty flavor.



  1. Glasswort (Salicornia europaea): Glasswort is another halophyte commonly found in coastal areas and is known for its culinary uses.

  2. Sea purslane (Atriplex halimus): Sea purslane is a halophyte that grows in coastal areas and is consumed in some Mediterranean cuisines.



  2. Marsh samphire (Bolboschoenus maritimus): Marsh samphire is a halophytic plant that grows in salt marshes and is considered edible.

 

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