[I don’t know much about aquaponics]
Evidently not.
Tobacco is also pretty big in Cuban agriculture.
But, the fact that even state-collectivist parasites can manage to turn tobacco, aquaponics (,and/or self-governance) into a cash-cow for non-productive, teat-sucking, collectivist swine in the farmhouse — is self-evidence of the viability of aquaponics, tobacco, and self-governance.
You need to live there. You pretty well described everyday life in the Worker’s Caribbean Paradise. During my four year tour in Havana (1993-1997), we had access to food that normal Cubans sure didn’t, at the Diplomatic Store. They haven’t managed to screw up the Cuban cigar industry, and their Havana Club Rum is still the best on the planet. Life for Juan de la Cruz (Cuba’s John Doe) sucks on a daily base. Most of them barely get by on their meager govt rations. The Cubans who worked for us told us that their ration books only lasted two to three weeks of the month; if they didn’t have access to $$$, they did without.