Perception is Reality

Abstract

Despite the cold weather climate conditions of the Great Lakes region, an increasing number of organizations are growing local food on a year round basis. The utilization of commercial aquaponics has allowed these organizations to grow both fish and produce indoors while creating new jobs and community development opportunities. Research has shown that there are significant challenges to maintaining profitable commercial aquaponics ventures in temperate climates; however, the popularity of the technology in urban agriculture seems to be increasing. In this chapter, the authors use diffusion of innovation theory to explain the adoption of this sustainable development innovation in the face of financial challenges. They find that the perception of relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability may be explanatory factors in the adoption of commercial aquaponics in the face of financial challenge.