AFRA — Master Programme
Master commercial aquaponics over 8 weeks online plus a hands-on practical week
8 weeks · Mon to Thu evenings
Per person · 30 sessions + practical
What Makes AFRA Different
Eight intensive weeks
Live with Justin
Master-level focus
Practical week + cert
Programme Curriculum — 8 Weeks Online + Practical
WEEK 1
Master Architecture & Site Design
WEEK 2
Advanced Water Chemistry & Biology
WEEK 3
Fish Production Mastery
WEEK 4
Crop Production Mastery
WEEK 5
Operations, SOPs & Compliance
WEEK 6
Financial Mastery & Investment
WEEK 7
Markets, Brand & Distribution
WEEK 8
Leadership & Multi-Site Scaling
Practical week
Hands-on intensive on-site — dates announced to enrolled cohort. Build, troubleshoot and certify alongside the Afraponix team.
Why Choose Afraponix?
Practical & Applied
Real-world skills you can implement immediately on your own system.
Business-Driven
Focus on profitability and sustainable, scalable growth.
Africa-Focused
Solutions designed for African climates, markets and economics.
International Expertise
Learn from global aquaponics leaders with 20+ years in the field.
Meet Your Instructors
Justin Hess (South Africa)
Founder and director of Afraponix, Justin is dedicated to transforming African agriculture through world-class aquaponics education. With deep understanding of Africa’s unique food security challenges, he leads the mission to empower agripreneurs across the continent to build profitable, sustainable enterprises.
Expertise: Business strategy, educational program development, sustainable agriculture leadership, African markets
Mark Austin (Spain)
International aquaponics expert recognised for creating innovative systems that balance efficiency, sustainability and profitability. Mark brings global perspective from designing commercial-scale operations across multiple continents. He leads technical content development for AQUA and AFRA programs.
Expertise: Commercial system design, biointegrated systems engineering, water quality optimisation, automation, operational scaling
Register for AFRA
Submit the form below and we’ll send payment details within 48 hours. Seats are confirmed on payment.
Continue your pathway
Pick the next step that matches where you are — or browse all three on the pathway overview.
Aquaponics 101
1 week · online·R1,900
Foundational online training to launch your first system. Four live evening sessions across Mon–Thu.
Learn more → AgribusinessAQUA
3 weeks · online·R8,500
Launch and scale a commercial aquaponics business. Twelve live sessions across three weeks.
Learn more →Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the AFRA Master Programme.
Frequently asked questions
R19,500 per person. The fee covers all 30+ live sessions across 8 weeks, the practical week, lifetime access to the session recordings, the full Aquaponics Success Manual, and a certificate of completion. No hidden costs.
Monday 6 July to Friday 28 August 2026 — 8 weeks of live sessions Monday to Thursday evenings, 5pm to 7pm SAST, followed by a hands-on practical week. We run a small cohort to keep the Q&A personal.
The live sessions and learning platform are fully online at aquaponics.online. Live sessions run on Zoom from inside the platform, with recordings added within 24 hours. The practical week is hosted in-person at our South African facility.
AFRA is our master-level programme, designed for operators, agribusiness owners and serious practitioners. It assumes you already grasp the fundamentals — we recommend completing Aquaponics 101 or AQUA first if you are new to the field.
Every session is recorded and added to the platform within 24 hours. You can catch up at your own pace and the recordings stay with you for life. Live attendance is encouraged for the Q&A, but not required.
Justin Hess, founder of Afraponix, with over 20 years of hands-on experience in commercial aquaponics, joined by Mark Austin (Spain) for the international module. Every session is live and includes Q&A.
5pm–7pm SAST works comfortably across most of Africa, Europe and the Middle East:
- West Africa (Lagos) — 3pm–5pm
- UK — 3pm–5pm winter, 4pm–6pm summer
- Cairo / Johannesburg — 5pm–7pm
- East Africa (Nairobi) — 6pm–8pm
- Mauritius / Dubai — 7pm–9pm
- India — 8:30pm–10:30pm
If your time zone is too late for live attendance, the recordings and written-feedback forum keep you fully on track.
Submit the registration form above. We will reply within 48 hours with payment details (EFT or card). Your seat is confirmed on receipt of payment.