Going Organic: Empirical Study on Awareness of Organic and Aquaponically Grown Vegetables

In a world of constantly changing dynamics of lifestyle and health-culture, it has become necessary for individuals to constantly keep a check on their diet and its contents. Increasing levels of pollution and stress negatively affects both, the health and longevity of an individual. Owing to a decline in average health, more and more people today have started looking for alternatives that could make their diet cleaner and healthier. One such alternative identified is organic produce, which is 100% chemical free, and therefore healthier than conventionally produced food products. However, organic produce is highly expensive, making it less attractive to the masses. Aquaponics, is one such technique of producing organic vegetables in a sustainable manner, thereby reducing its cost. This paper aims to understand the awareness levels of Aquaponics as a technique of organic agriculture. The study performs various tests in order to understand the levels of awareness of Aquaponically grown organic produce within the country. The findings of the study prove that factors such as the prices of organic vegetables, their availability and brand recognition play a major role in influencing the purchase decision made by consumers. On the other hand, factors such as education levels of the consumers or their income levels do not have a major impact on their purchase patterns of organic vegetables. Further analysis revealed that greater awareness about Aquaponics in general, and increased production of organic vegetables through Aquaponics also has a positive impact on the purchase of such vegetables.