final project
Home Hydroponic farming: Uncover Hydroponic farming in Jeddah’s household kitchen as a self-efficiency source of food
By
Ahdab Sindi & Hanan Fakiha
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Outline:
Research Questions
Methodology
Survey
Findings
Discussion
Conclusion
Hydroponic farming
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Research Questions
Does hydroponic farming achieve household self-sufficiency?
How does hydroponic farming affect a Saudi household lifestyle?
The research questions aimed to be answered by academic references beside the survey which distributed online.
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Methodology
randomly distributed number
non-probability sample
100 respondent
Targeting: medium size families, female & male singles living in Jeddah.
age between 15 - 64 years old
The research method included at least 100 respondents, including medium size families and female and male singles living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The sample individuals will age between 15 and 64 years old, which represents 72% of the previously mentioned demographic in Saudi Arabia (TREND 2021).
A randomly distributed number of female and male participants chosen.
To generate closely representative data, a non-probability sample was chosen.
Surveys sent online using Google Forms to the sample, and data collection took place through google documents for analysis.
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Survey
Survey about home hydroponics in Jeddah
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Findings
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Geographic 100% of respondents lives in Jeddah, as researchers excluded who lives outside
Do you live in Jeddah?
Yes
No
In question one, the results confirms that all 100 participants live in Jeddah city in Saudi Arabia after excluding who lives outside the geographic targeted area.
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Housing
What kind of housing you live in ?
Small apartment
big apartment with balcony or top roof
small home
home with backyard or top roof
Medium apartment
In question two, 30% of participants live in homes with backyards or rooftop and 29% live in small apartments without any outdoor areas. Also, 21% live in big apartment with an outdoor area either a balcony or a rooftop and 19% live in a small home without an outdoor area, whereas only 1% live in medium size apartments without outdoor areas.
From the survey, researcher founds that the majority of the respondent lives in home with backyard or top roof followed by the total opposite hosing group which is a small apartment without balcony, top roof or backyard. That is an indication that the hosing condition in Jeddah is totally different among the random respondents.
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From which age group are you?
Demographic The age range from 8-60+ for both gender
Gender:
Male
Female
In demographic questions, 83% of our participant were females and 17% were males. In the question concerning age, 45% ranged between 30-39 years old and 20% ranged between 40-49 years old. Also, 13% ranged between 19-29 years old and 12% ranged between 50-59 years old. Finally, 10% were above 60 years old and 0% were below 19 years old.
Researchers found that the demographic majority in term of gender is for female. And in term of age group for both genders is 30-39 age group which represent 45% of the total respondents, analysed as 12 male which is equal to (26.66%) of this age group & 33 female which is equal to (73.33%) of the same age group. As a result, female aged between 30-39 were the majority of the research respondents. And it might have an indication of interest in hydroponic farming among this group.
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Focus group preferences
If you like farming, what kind of plants would you consider to plant it at home in general?
Decorative plants
edible plants
Bamboo and plants that live for a long time
Flowering and fragrant plants such as gardenia
In the preference question, inquiring on what type of plants participants prefer to plant; 76% preferred to plant for decorative purposes, 36% preferred edible plants. Other specified other plants of their preference; 2% prefer planting Bamboo in specific because it lives longer, whereas 1% prefer flowers and fragrant plants such as, Gardenia, roses …etc.
Researchers found that the majority preferred Decorative plants over edible plants for home planting. This result might give an indication that the respondents may prefer non-edible plants over edible plants and those 36% of the respondents who matters to answer the research question.
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General Knowledge
Have you ever heard of hydroponics?
Yes, but I don't know what it is
Yes, I know some about it
No, I know nothing about it
In the question on participants’ knowledge inquiring if they heard of hydroponic farming methods before, 35% claimed they do not know anything about it, 34% claimed they know some information about it and 31% claimed that they heard the term but do not have sufficient details about it.
So, the majority of the respondents know nothing about hydroponic farming. And increasing the awareness about hydroponic farming might help them to adopt this method and reach self-sufficiency source of food in the future. In order to develop this question in the future, researcher may use a scale from 1-10 to show the degree of knowledge about hydroponic farming.
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Insight
If in a grocery store, would you buy hydroponically grown produce?
Yes
No
Maybe
The insight question inquires if participants would purchase and use hydroponically grown groceries; 25% answered yes to consider purchasing them,9% while the majority say maybe! Represent 66% of the respondents.
So, another question may arise to know the reason behind their concerns, are they afraid of chemical products, or is it not trusted because it does not contain soil? Or because they are not aware of the concept of hydroponic farming? Or what? Respondents who answered with yes, could answer the research question better.
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Interest
Would you be interested in learning about hydroponics?
Yes
No
Maybe
In the interest question, inquiring on participants’ interest on learning more about hydroponic; 80% answered yes, 14% answered maybe and only 6% answered no.
With the vice majority showing interest of discovering more about hydroponic farming is a positive sign to go further with the research and open up new research questions and opportunities and could make the 66% in the previous question who answered with maybe to restate their opinion when they discover what hydroponic farming really is. Further, this question will lead to the following question to indicate the percentage of the opportunity.
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Opportunity
Would you consider trying hydroponic farming at home?
definitely, I would master it
Maybe, I would like to try the basics
No
The result shows that the majority of the respondents (60%) are willing to learn the basics only, followed by a 32% who would defiantly want to master the hydroponic farming which is a positive answer to the research question. While 8% of participant did not want to try it.
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Internal Vs. External
If you master hydroponic farming, would you stop purchasing vegetarian food from outside?
Yes
No
Maybe , some kinds
The purpose of this question is to know an indication if the respondents are will to reach self-efficiency and stop purchasing external product. So, the internal vs. external question, inquires if participants would stop purchasing certain vegetables and fruit from grocery stores or farm markets; 68% answered maybe, 17% answered yes and 15% answered No to stop purchasing vegetarian food when they reach self-sufficiency. As a result, Plurality of the respondents are willing to stop purchasing some kinds of product if they mastered the hydroponic farming which is a good result for the research question. And a good sub question to this question will be what kind or plants they are going to stop purchasing and grow them individually.
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Plant kinds
What kind of plants would you consider planting hydroponically at your home?
leafy vegetable (lettuce, cabbage, celery…etc)
Any plant could grow in house
fruits & vegetable (cherry tomato, lemon...etc)
All the plants could grow using hydroponic method
In the type of plants question which aim to know the plant type that respondents might want to consider planting them hydroponically; the majority which is equal to 82% of the respondents preferred leafy vegetable such as lettuce, spinach…etc. followed by 42% who would consider planting fruitful fruits and vegetables such as, cherry tomatoes and lemons. 2% would consider also planting all the plants which could grow with hydroponic method and 2% would consider any plant could grow in house. The options which were given by the researchers was only the first 2 option which was more common to grow hydroponically and the rest was Witten by the respondents and a good development for this area is to give more categorised option to get a better respond such as:
Herbs (mint, sage, basil…etc)
fruits & vegetable (cherry tomato, lemon, avocado ...etc)
roots (ginger, potato, carrot…etc)
leafy vegetable (lettuce, cabbage, celery…etc)
other: please specify…...
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Purpose of Hydroponic
For what purpose would you consider hydroponic farming?
As a New hobby only
additional supply of herbs and vegetable to outside purchases
self-efficiency of total food consummation at home
Give-up external purchases of vegetables and fruits
Self-sufficiency of widely consumed vegetables and fruits at home
Self-sufficiency in production & give-up external purchases
Find it easily at home when needed
More cleaner product than the market
In the purpose question, inquiring which purpose does hydroponic farming serve for participants. 53% would adopt it to practice a new hobby, 12% purpose was stopping external purchases of vegetables and fruits, 11% purpose was to reach self-sufficiency of total food consumption at home (without stopping outside purchases), 9% aims for additional supply of herbs and vegetable to the ones purchased from outside, another 9% aim to self-sufficiently of frequently used fruit and vegetable at home. 4% aim to self-sufficiency and stop outside purchases completely, 1% aim to easily find it fresh at home without the need to go outside and 1% aim for better hygienic products than the ones sold in the market. So, this question results show that the lump of respondents would consider hydroponic farming as a new hobby and not for a source of food as the research question suggested meanwhile the other options serves a similar purpose of reaching a self-efficiency for individuals to grow food hydroponically.
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Discussion
The study confirms that all participants live in Jeddah – KSA as authors targeted. Additionally, most of the population were females proving that females are more interested in hydroponic farming than males. Moreover, having a population with 50% ranging in age between 30-39 years that are interested in taking a survey concerning hydroponics, this indicates that decision makers in the society are willing to change their and their family’s lifestyle into a more organic and energy/resource saving style. Therefore, we might see a change in many households could be seen in the near future, if it was not happening already in some. Also, the study proven that the majority of the population are interested to learning more about hydroponics and trying basic hydroponic methods at home.
The study tested planting main purposes were either decorative or fragrant flowering. However, there were a good number of participants that prefer to plant and eat, which proves the tendency of some nationals to plant for nutritional purposes. The study also found that there are people that know and heard the term hydroponics earlier. Additionally, the study proven the tendency of Saudi nationals to purchase hydroponic groceries to use at home which indicates a brighter future for hydroponic farming in Saudi.
Regarding self-sufficiency, a good number of participants confirmed they would stop purchasing vegetarian food upon reaching self-sufficiency of certain fruit or vegetables such as, herbs (mint, sage and basil), fruit and vegetables (cherry tomatoes and lemon, root vegetable (ginger, potatoes and carrots) and leafy vegetable such as, lettuce, cabbage and celery.
The study also found reliable purpose behind people adopting hydroponic farming; the majority find it practicing a new hobby, whereas the other majority believed that hydroponics would guarantee availability of goods at home at any time and eventually help them stop purchasing those good from the market. The minority believe in self-sufficiency as a result to hydroponic farming at home. The tendency to adopt hydroponic farming method in Saudi Arabia is noticeable among female who are housewives and for mainly a purpose of discover a new hobby.
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83% of our participant were females.
Almost half of the respondents were between 30-39 years old.
Majority of population are interested to learning more about hydroponics and exploring the basics of hydroponic methods at home.
Most of the respondents preferred decorative or fragrant flowering plants over edible plants at home.
The tendency to purchase hydroponic groceries
Participants main interest is practicing a new hobby
Self-sufficiency is yet to be uncovered.
Open Discussion
Female mainly housewives, decision makers at home
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Conclusion
Thank you
In conclusion, this research will try tried to answer some of the queries about the efficiency of hydroponic planting compared to soil planting and if hydroponic methods achieve household sufficiency on daily used fruit and vegetable. Additionally, inquiries on the quality of food produced at home versus imported food.
This research targets targeted possible household candidates within the suggested target audience mentioned in the methodology and this group cares about health nutrients from the most valuable food and adopting healthy lifestyle. It is a matter to be considered by families for the future of their children’s health and wellbeing. In addition to the cost and energy saving outcomes as well as global anti-pollution approach to preserve the planet. The survey questions presented and discussed in the finding section which answered the research question, there were a low awareness about hydroponic farming in general and a grate interest in knowing, adopting thins method starting as a hobby yet it did not reach a big percentage of relaying on hydroponic farming as a self-efficiency source of food but a grate number to start the journey which might give an opportunity to monitor the interest and opinion of the respondents after trying and learning more about the hydroponic farming which is based on trial and error attitude.
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