Increased domestic and international demand for aquatic foods have greatly enhanced aquaculture practices and production in Bangladesh, which is reflected in the national economy. However, the impacts of a fast growing aquaculture sector through the involvement of stakeholders, poorer sections throughout the value chain and broader rural livelihoods are largely underdeveloped and have frequently been ignored. The present study explores the impacts of dynamic aquaculture sector on stakeholders at production level and supply chain and test the hypothesis that aquaculture is enhancing rural livelihoods and benefiting the poor. Three aquaculture production systems in three areas of Bangladesh were selected for the study. These were prawn production in gher system in Jessore, pond fish culture in Mymensingh and rice-fish farming in Dinajpur. This selection allowed analysis both the impacts of domestic and export marketing of aquaculture products. Participatory research data collection tools; focus group discussions and participatory mapping were commonly used along with questionnaire surveys to ensure participation of stakeholders. Aquaculture, in general, found to have had significant impacts on rural livelihoods. The greatest effect of aquaculture on farming households were observed in income and consumption. Integrated aquaculture systems were the regular source of fish and vegetables and constitute more than half of the fish and vegetables consumed by farming households. While income from aquaculture was the highest among the several household income sources, the main cash crop differed between the systems studied. Prawn, fish and rice was the main cash earning crops for gher farming, fish farming and rice-fish farming respectively. Qualitative investigation suggested that aquaculture not only increased income through greater production volume, but also improved farmers’ assets through income diversification to farm and non-farm sources. The other important outcomes of aquaculture were the enhancement of social safety nets through increased sharing of inputs and labour among farmers. Commonly the aquaculture systems were found to be more intensive with an increasingly commercial attitude over the last ten years, which affected the intra-household labour distribution leading to a greater role for women in production management. While the three activities; fish feed preparation, feeding and growing vegetables performed by vast majority of women could be attributed to their inherent involvement with agriculture, hard physical work like harvesting ponds and pond construction were mostly carried out by the women from poor households as a strategy to reduce hired labour cost. The women’s’ increased involvement in aquaculture not only increased their overall workload, but also empowered them in household decision making to some extend. However, involvement in decision making was related to the level of involvement in production activities. The impacts of aquaculture spread beyond the farming households to the broader rural livelihoods. Wage labourers and fishers (harvesting teams) two of the poorest groups of people directly involved were benefited most over the last ten years. Intensification of aquaculture increased the demand for hired labour leading to a structural shift in the agricultural wage labour market in farming communities. About half of the agricultural labourers were found part-time employed in aquaculture activities in Jessore and Mymensingh. In Dinajpur intensification of rice cultivation had a much higher effect on the demand for labour than aquaculture. Increased employment in rural areas increased real labour wages by about one fifth over the last ten years and subsequently improved livelihood outcomes. Declining fish catch due to both decreased natural fish stocks and more restricted property rights, professional fishers benefited by diversifying their livelihoods into the aquaculture sector. While, many of the fishers permanently changed their profession to prawn marketing in Jessore, the rest were full-time or part-time employed in harvesting ponds and/or retailing fish in markets. Such diversification of income greatly reduced seasonal vulnerability and improved livelihood outcomes. The role of fish marketing, which is a critical institution in rural livelihoods, was found to facilitate the growth of the aquaculture sector. High demand of aquatic products and the diverse options of marketing fisheries enabled farmers to meet their initial requirements. More commercial operations of aquaculture increased farmers’ awareness and linkages to markets. However, typically the worse-off farmers were the slowest to capture new market opportunities, often due to their poor resources and human capital. Fish marketing was found to be run by the private sector and government provided the infrastructure facilities, except prawn processing plants, which were developed by private sector. While the fish market transactions were fairly efficient, markets facilities and infrastructure were commonly poor and need of government investment for improvement. A gradual growth of fish and markets in the rural areas was observed in the study; this was driven by the increased demand for fish through increased population and supply from aquaculture. The marketing intermediaries provided important services despite their small share of consumers’ price and ensured a fair share for farmers. The auctioneers provided a vital role in running the supply chain with investment and credits, which ensured fair competition in the pricing process. Marketing of aquatic products was not only a mechanism of product transaction, but also provided critical livelihoods for rural poor. On average about one hundred people, including retailers were involved in auction markets and eight people in prawn depots. Importantly the number of people in marketing was found to have increase over the years. Access for different groups of poor people to marketing jobs was found to be significant in rural livelihoods. The asset base and daily earning indicates that more than three quarters of the marketing intermediaries were poor; some of them were from poorest and low cast Hindu society. Greater flexibility of entry and exit to the jobs enabled the poorer sections to diversify their livelihoods, which enabled to cope with seasonal variability of opportunities and stable income. The marketing employment provided then increased livelihood welfare and social security. Finally, it can be concluded that the promotion of aquaculture not only increased much needed food availability but also generated critical livelihoods and marketing is not just a mechanism of product flow, but also providing livelihoods welfare to poorest sections of the society. The micro level findings of the study regarding impacts of aquaculture indicate that aquaculture production and marketing have significant impacts on enhancing rural livelihoods in Bangladesh.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Murdoch University, 2008. / Thesis submitted to the Division of Science and Engineering. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-154).

Thesis (MScEng (Industrial Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to investigate the techno-economic feasibility of operating an aquaponics farm in South Africa. Aquaculture is the fastest-growing type of food production in the world, yet South Africa is lagging behind international efforts to boost the industry. An independent academic feasibility study on small scale aquaponics farms in South Africa has not been performed before, causing current and prospective farmers to be uncertain about the prospects of the venture. The study is approached by investigating the aquaculture and aquaponics industry and gathering the relevant information. By investigating other models used to represent aquaculture or aquaponics systems, the required information is gathered in order to build a unique model for the purpose of determining the feasibility of the case study farms. The model is modified to represent each of the case study farms. The results show that the majority of the farms are not economically viable. A sensitivity analysis provides some insight on how varying certain parameters can affect the performance of the systems. Using the information gathered in the case studies and research, a near-ideal system is specified in order to establish whether this improved system can be viable whilst taking into account the constraints placed upon aquaponics ventures in South Africa. The study suggests some recommendations for current and prospective farmers that might improve their chances of succeeding with an aquaponics venture. The study finds that currently aquaponics in South Africa is hindered by a number of constraints that result in it being a high-risk venture with meagre returns on investment. However, the study shows that if an aquaponics system were designed, built and managed correctly, it could theoretically be an economically viable venture. The investigation has, in a logical method, provided insight into the viability of operating an aquaponics farm in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om die lewensvatbaarheid van akwaponika in Suid-Afrika te ondersoek. Akwakultuur is die tipe voedselproduksie wat die vinnigste groei in die wêreld, maar Suid-Afrika hou nie tred met die internasionale poging om akwakultuur te ontwikkel nie. „n Onafhanklike lewensvatbaarheid studie oor kleinskaal akwaponika plase in Suid-Afrika is nog nooit onderneem nie. Dit veroorsaak dat huidige en voornemende akwaponika boere onseker is oor die uitkomste van hulle ondernemings. Die studie is benader deur die akwaponika en akwakultuur bedrywe te ondersoek, en die relevante inligting te versamel. Deur ander modelle wat gebruik word om akwakultuur en akwaponika sisteme te verteenwoordig te ondersoek, is die nodige inligting versamel om „n unieke model te bou wat gebruik word om die lewensvatbaarheid van die gevallestudies te bepaal. Die model is aangepas om elkeen van die gevallestudies te verteenwoordig. Die resultate wys dat die meerderheid van die gevallestudie plase nie ekonomies lewensvatbaar is nie. „n Sensitiwiteitsanaliese gee insig oor hoe spesifieke parameters die prestasie van die sisteme affekteer. Deur die inligting wat versamel is tydens die gevallestudies en navorsing te gebruik, kan „n sisteem gespesifiseer word om te bevestig of hierdie verbeterde sisteem lewensvatbaar kan wees terwyl dit die beperkings waaronder akwaponika sisteme in Suid Afrika geplaas word in ag neem. Die studie verskaf „n paar aanbevelings vir huidige en voornemende boere. Hierdie aanbevelings kan die kanse van sukses van die ondernemings verbeter. Die studie het gevind dat akwaponika in Suid-Afrika deur „n aantal beperkings benadeel word, wat lei tot „n situasie waar dit „n hoë-risiko onderneming is, met lae opbrengste op die belegging. Maar, die studie wys ook dat as „n sisteem korrek ontwerp, bou en bestuur word, dit teoreties „n ekonomies lewensvatbare onderneming kan wees. Die studie het op „n logiese wyse insig gegee oor die haalbaarheid van akwaponika in Suid-Afrika.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2005. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original hard copy / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates the current level of aquaculture production in South Africa and factors which will help with its further expansion. Aquaculture provides jobs, can assist in alleviating poverty, can earn substantial amounts of foreign exchange and can give rise to various multiplier and linkage effects within the economy. As fishery products are processed further, it is significant that benefits have the potential of becoming more pronounced. Although the South African aquaculture industry has played a negligible role in the development of the domestic economy, its contribution has increased in recent years. Despite providing few employment opportunities, the local aquaculture industry is export-orientated and has the potential of becoming an important foreign-exchange earner. In addition to being able to assist the country's balance of payments, a larger domestic industry could, through its various linkages with the rest of the economy, provide the impetus for the establishment of various related industries. It is not only through these effects that the aquaculture industry could help create new employment opportunities, but the industry itself becomes more labour intensive the further it moves down the processing chain. The prospect of these potential benefits has moved the state to establish various aids to assist the development of the local industry. The most important of these are the Strategy for Biotechnology Development in South Africa, the White Paper on the Promotion of Small Business and a joint mariculture forum between industry and the state. There are factors in favour and factors against the aquaculture expansion. The benefits are too important to be discarded. And the disadvantages can be eliminated by various techniques that have already proved themselves elsewhere in the world. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die huidige vlak van akwakultuur in Suid-Afrika en die faktore wat die uitbreiding daarvan sal beinvloed. Akwakultuur skep werksgeleenthede, help met die verligting van armoede, dit kan aansienlike hoeveelheid buitelandse valuta vir Suid-Afrika verdien en gee aanleiding tot verskeie vermenigvuldiger effekte na die res van die ekonomie. Hierdie effekte is geneig om van groter omvang te wees indien visprodukte verder verwerk word. Alhoewel akwakultuur tot op hede 'n weglaatbaar klein bydrae gemaak het tot die ontwikkeling van die Suid Afrikaanse ekonomie, het hierdie invloed in die afgelope jare toegeneem. Die akwakultuur industrie onderhou relatief min werksgeleenthede, maar is uitvoer ge-orienteerd en het die potensiaal om in belangrike verdiener te raak van buitelandse valuta. Behalwe vir die voordelige uitwerking wat die bedryf het op die betalingsbalans, kan 'n groter akwakultuur bedryf, deur verskeie vermenigvuldiger effekte, aanleiding gee tot die oprigting van verbandhoudende bedrywe. Behalwe vir die werksgeleenthede wat hierdeur ontstaan, word die visbedryf algaande meer arbeidsintensief en voorsien dit meer werksgeleenthede soos daar langs die waarde toevoegingslyn afbeweeg word. Die verwagte voordele wat die industrie kan bied, het die staat oortuig om sekere hulpmiddels tot stand te bring om die uitbreiding te bevorder. Die belangrikste hiervan is die totstandkoming van 'n Strategie vir Biotegnologiese uitbreiding, 'n beleidsdokument vir die bevordering van klein besighede en 'n akwakultuur samewerkingsplatvorm tussen die staat en die bedryf. Daar is faktore wat die plaaslike uitbreiding ondersteun en ander wat 'n nadelige invloed mag veroorsaak. Die positiewe faktore is te belangrik om die geleentheid nie te benut nie. Die nadelige faktore kan voorkom word deur tegnieke te gebruik wat hulself reeds suksesvol bewys het.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Division of Aquaculture, Stellenbosch University (SU) was commissioned jointly by Namdeb Diamond Corporation (Pty) Ltd (Namdeb) and the Oranjemund Town Management Company Limited (OTMCo) to assess the aquaculture potential of the mining area at Oranjemund in Namibia. This document provides a proposal for the establishment of a marine finfish (yellowtail, Seriola lalandi) farm at Oranjemund. There appears to be considerable potential and as such this document provides a proposal for the establishment of a marine finfish (yellowtail, Seriola lalandi) farm at Oranjemund. A 5 000 metric ton (mt) yellowtail farm would have a turnover of about N$ 115 million per year and provides direct employment for about 200 people. Oranjemund is located immediately north of the Orange River at the most south-western corner of Namibia, approximately 1000 kilometers southwest of the capital, Windhoek. Namdeb currently operates an alluvial diamond mining operation along a 160 kilometer (km) stretch of the southern Namibia coastline, but is expected to downscale their activities significantly over the next 5 to 10 years. Aquaculture, the cultivation of fish, shellfish and aquatic plants, is the fastest growing food producing industry in the world and has considerable potential to contribute to the establishment of a vibrant post-mining economy in Oranjemund. The marine finfish industry is the most important and valuable aquaculture sector in many countries and is expected to grow significantly over the medium term, thereby also offering exciting opportunities for investment and business participation. The yellowtail farm venture is part of a greater plan to develop a vertically integrated aquaculture cluster at Oranjemund. The yellowtail development will be conducted in two phases, with Phase 1 the establishment of a pilot project to assess and confirm technical and financial feasibility. Phase 2 is the development of a 1 000 mt commercial farm. Other species being considered for development at Oranjemund include abalone (Haliotis midae), turbot (Psetta Maxima), rock lobster (Jasus lalandi) and oysters (Crassostria gigas). Several companies in South Africa are currently actively pursuing aquaculture expansion opportunities along both the west and east coasts of South Africa. Key amongst these is the development of abalone farms at Hondeklip Bay and Port Nolloth in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa by HIK Abalone Farm (Pty) Ltd (HIK) and NewFarmers Development Company Limited (NewF). The development of abalone and yellowtail farming at Oranjemund has been positioned as a further extension of the abovementioned initiative with HIK, NewF and a finfish fingerling supplier as potential operating, investment and development partners. The proposed business structure of the project provides investment opportunities for both institutional and Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) investors as well as employee equity instruments. Namibia’s economic prospects for the future are bright given its stable economic performance, good regulatory framework, and robust private sector. The country has experienced steady growth, moderate inflation, strong external surpluses and low indebtedness over the past several years as a result of generally prudent fiscal policies, a stable political environment, a fairly developed infrastructure, and a strong legal and regulatory environment. Economic growth since independence (1991) has averaged 4.3% per annum, and the World Bank’s Investment Climate Assessment Report currently notes that Namibia has a relatively attractive investment climate. The Government of Namibia has identified aquaculture as a prime priority development area. Both Vision 2030 and the NDP2 documents summon the country’s urgency to develop aquaculture and as such the Namibian Government has created an enabling environment for investment in aquaculture. / Namdeb Diamond Corporation (Pty) Ltd (Namdeb) and the Oranjemund Town Management Company Limited (OTMCo)

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This report begins with a look at the ever increasing world population and the effect this is having on the world's food production. While the demand is increasing with the rise in population, the supply side is finding it difficult to produce enough food due to a number of pressures. The report then goes further by suggesting a source of food that holds great potential for the future which, if it reaches its full potential, could go a long way in providing a sustainable source of food for the next generation. This source is Aquaculture, which is discussed through a look at both the advantages it provides and the challenges involved within this industry. Furthermore, the report takes an in depth look at a sub-section of the aquaculture industry, namely the farming of abalone, firstly in general, but then also more specifically the farming of abalone in South Africa. Abalone are mostly sold in Asia as a high priced delicacy and occurs naturally off the coast of South Africa, however, due to over fishing and poaching over the past three decades, the South African government has now introduced a total ban on the diving and selling of wild abalone, or as it is commonly known in South Africa, Perlemoen. It is therefore now up to the small number of abalone farms on South Africa's coast to fill the void left in the international abalone market for Haliotis midae. The second half of this report looks at one company in particular, Aquamart, which was a company established in 2003 by 5 MBA students with an ambitious plan of setting up an abalone farming facility. All of Aquamart's aspects are discussed, including its business plan, financials, senior management and its strategy. These areas are then critically reviewed in order to try and establish what Aquamart succeeded in, but also what went wrong, and why the company ultimately had to be closed down in 2005. This report aims to identify some of the barriers within this industry and also for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in general, which can hopefully be used by future entrepreneurs in order not to repeat the mistakes made by Aquamart. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verslag begin deur te kyk na die al groeiende wereldbevolking en die druk wat dit plaas op die wereld se voedselvervaardiging. Saam met die druk van die groeiende vraag, is daar ook verskeie eksterne vorme van druk op die aanbod van voedsel. Die verslag gaan verder deur een moontlike bron van voedsel voor te stel wat sal kan help om aan die vraag te voldoen, maar slegs indien dit korrek aangewend word. Die bron is akwakultuur, en die verslag kyk na die industrie se voordele asook na van die uitdagings wat die sukses van die industrie kan beinvloed. Verder ondersoek die verslag oak een van akwakultuur se sub-industriee, naamlik die boer met perlemoen, eers op 'n globale skaal, en dan spesifiek in Suid-Afrika. Die perlemoen wat grotendeels as 'n luukse voedsel op die Asiatiese mark verkoop word kom natuurlik op die kus van Suid-Afrika voor, maar as gevolg van die swak bestuur van die natuurlike hulpbron, gepaard met die onwettige smokkeling van perlemoen, is die natuurlike perlemoen nou 'n bedreigde spesie in Suid-Afrika, en het die land se regering 'n verbod geplaas op die uithaal en verkoop van wilde perlemoen. Dit is dus in die hande van die Suid Afrikaanse perlemoenplase om in die wereld se vraag na H. midae te voorsien. Die tweede helfte van die verslag doen 'n gedetailleerde ondersoek op die maatskappy Aquamart, wat in 2003 gestig was deur 5 MBA studente met die oog om 'n perlemoenplaas in Suid-Afrika op te rig. Die vernaamste aktiwiteite van Aquamart word in die gedeelte bespreek, insluitende, onder andere, die besigheidsplan, finansies, algemene bestuur en Aquamart se besigheidstrategie. Die verslag doen dan 'n kritiese ondersoek op Aquamart om te probeer vasstel hoekom die bestuur in 2005 geforseer was om Aquamart se deure te sluit. Die hoop is om lesse te leer uit Aquamart se mislukking wat kan dien as 'n riglyn vir toekomstige perlemoenboere, asook klein en medium-besighede in die algemeen.

Orientador: Marco Túlio Ospina Patino / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-25T12:09:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Paseto_LuisaAmelia_M.pdf: 1520249 bytes, checksum: 15b13fa285ebb698c3151d858bce435e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014 / Resumo: A problemática ambiental ocupa importante papel nas discussões sobre os rumos da economia e as políticas públicas. O conhecimento científico para um desenvolvimento econômico sustentável confronta-se com a necessidade de encontrar soluções capazes de integrar as diversas características e as relações de interdependência dos processos ambiental, produtivo e econômico. O objetivo deste trabalho foi de identificar e analisar os indicadores de boas práticas de gestão ambiental e seu grau de influência na formação de vantagem competitiva na cadeia de valor dos empreendimentos aquícolas de Capitólio/MG. Duas correntes econômicas sobre estratégias empresariais nortearam o estudo na evidência de vantagem competitiva. A primeira corrente utiliza o posicionamento como um atributo de desempenho interior e exterior das organizações e a segunda reconhece as capacidades coletivas como cadeia de valor dinâmica e inter-relacionada para a inserção e reconhecimento pelo mercado. Os métodos aplicados nesta pesquisa para determinação da geração de competitividade e seu aproveitamento, integram as dimensões biofísicas, políticas, culturais e econômicas, com uma visão multidisciplinar dos indicadores na cadeia de valor. As análises determinaram os pontos fortes e fracos necessários para o direcionamento das intervenções na cadeia de valor, de acordo com o potencial de criação de vantagem competitiva, sob a ótica do capital social. Os pontos fortes e fracos analisados se inter-relacionam nas atividades produtivas com a quantidade de ração administrada, minimização do estresse e mortalidade dos peixes e deficiências nutricionais que prejudicam a qualidade final do pescado e sua inserção no mercado. As respostas e análises apontam à necessidade do produtor associado e individual, perceberem que sua produção pode melhorar em custos, desempenho alimentar e qualidade nos tanques-rede, a partir de ajustes comportamentais, culturais e ou de gestão nas atividades que integram os stakeholders e os elos de inter-relacionamento na cadeia de valor. Uma simulação de custos e receitas de produção, com intervenção na cadeia de valor, demonstrou uma possibilidade de aumento do lucro de até 267%, permitindo ao produtor a inserção em um mercado consumidor que considera boas práticas de produção como valor agregado / Abstract: Environmental issues occupy an important role in discussions about the direction of the economy and public policy. Scientific knowledge for a sustainable economic development is faced with the need to find solutions capable of integrating the various characteristics and relationships of interdependence of environmental, productive and economic processes. The aim of this study was to identify and analyze good practice indicators of environmental management and their degree of influence in the formation of competitive advantage in the value chain of the aquaculture ventures of Capitólio/MG. Two current economic on business strategies guided the study on evidence of competitive advantage. The first uses the current positioning as an attribute of indoor and outdoor performance of organizations and the second recognizes the collective capabilities as interrelated and dynamic value chain for insertion and recognition by the market. The methods used in this research to determine the generation of competitiveness and their use, integrate biophysical dimensions, political, cultural and economic, with a multidisciplinary vision of the indicators in the value chain. The analysis determined the necessary strengths and weaknesses to the targeting of interventions in the value chain, according to the potential of creating competitive advantage, from the perspective of social capital. The strengths and weaknesses analyzed interrelate in productive activities with the ration quantity administered, minimizing the stress and mortality of fish and nutritional deficiencies that affect the final quality of the fish and its insertion in the market. The answers and analyses indicate the necessity of the associate and individual producers, realizing that their production may improve in costs, food and quality performance in tank-nets, from behavioral, cultural and/or management adjustments in the activities that integrate stakeholders and the related links in the value chain. A simulation of production costs and revenues with intervention in the value chain, demonstrated a possibility of profit increase of up to 267 percent, allowing the producer to insertion into a consumer market that considers good manufacturing practices as added value / Mestrado / Gestão de Sistemas na Agricultura e Desenvolvimento Rural / Mestra em Engenharia

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Government and Public Administration

Ricefield based fish seed production (RBFSP) in irrigated spring (boro) ricefields after initial introductions by external promoters has spread among farmers in parts of Northwest Bangladesh. This approach to producing juvenile fish, rather than by specialised geographically clustered hatchery and nursery enterprises, has been recognised as a strategy for decentralised production that makes large high quality seed available locally and supports food fish production. RBFSP has been promoted by the international NGO CARE as part of a process to improve rice-based livelihoods of farming households using a farmer field school (FFS) approach in two consecutive projects between 1993 and 2005. The approach is technically simple and is based on the stocking of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) eggs and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) broodfish in ricefields. As a new approach to farmer level fish seed production, its livelihood impacts on the farming households as well as associated actors; its adoption, adaptation and rejection process in farming households; and its cost-effectives for dissemination at farmer level were not well understood. This thesis mainly applies the concept of the sustainable livelihood approach (SLA) using tools and processes of the growing family of participatory research. A systems approach was used to ensure that the key stakeholders including households, community and extension organizations were included. The study was initiated with a well-being analysis of community households to identify poorer households before exploring impacts of RBFSP on poorer producing households (RF) compared to non-producing (NRF) households based on one-off and longitudinal surveys. Livelihoods impacts on other actors linked directly and indirectly with RBFSP were also investigated. The adoption process of RBFSP at the household level and the cost-effectiveness of its promotion were assessed. Impact studies at the household level showed that RF households were significantly larger and had lower levels of formal education than NRF. Adoption of RBFSP had improved practical skills and hence substantially improved human capital in RF households. RF households tended to have more of their ricefish plots located adjacent to their households. Poor and intermediate adopters had smaller riceplots than better-off households but higher seed production efficiencies (poor-315.1 kg fingerlings/ha; intermediate-419.1 kg fingerlings/ha) than better-off households (294.6 kg fingerlings/ha). In addition to direct consumption of large fingerlings, RF households restocked them for further growth in their household ponds in doing so increasing yields by 60%. Fish consumption increased substantially in RF households based on their own production reducing their dependency on purchase from markets. The year round longitudinal survey revealed that activities for RBFSP were compatible with their existing rice-based agriculture activities for household members including men, women and children. The relatively limited income from fingerling production improved cash flow in the low income months. Consumption of large size fingerlings from ricefields provided nutrient dense food in the ‘hungry gap’ months when supplies of wild fish were poor, smoothing consumption. Apart from RF households, RBFSP extended its livelihoods impacts to a wide range of actors in and around the seed producing community. Poor fry traders were found to be key actors in the spread and support of RBFSP. On average fry traders supplied fingerlings to 35 foodfish producers within a mean distance of 5 Km from producing households in a community where RBFSP was well established. The end users (foodfish producers) included households with their own ponds, ponds with multiple ownership and larger waterbodies leased by small groups. Locally available RFBSP juveniles were attractive to each of these groups, supplementing hatchery derived seed. A large number of complex socio-cultural and technical factors were related to household level adoption of RBFSP. The major factors included use of cash generated to prevent distress sales of rice; lack of requirement to use pesticide in ricefields; meeting the household consumption demand; capacity to restock fingerlings in ponds; lack of any negative effects on rice production; increased non-stocked fish production in riceplots; simplicity of the technology; ease of fish harvest from riceplots; increased ability to gift fingerlings/foodfish to relatives and neighbours; more efficient use of both riceplot and irrigation pumps. The most important reasons for households not attempting or quickly rejecting RBFSP were labour conflicts with other activities. However, lost access to the riceplots through changes in tenure was the most common cause of late rejection by households who had practiced RBFSP for several years after withdrawal of CARE support. Location of fish seed producing plots close to the homesteads facilitated household women to contribute to seed production activities through feeding and looking after fish. Women were able to decide and control resources generated from fingerling sales as well as choosing to gift fingerlings to their relatives. Informal transfer of fingerlings in this way stimulated spread of RBFSP. Decentralised fish seed production was promoted through FFS very cost effectively. The introduction of an improved strain of Nile tilapia (GIFT) broodfish greatly enhanced the returns from decentralised seed production based on common carp alone. High levels of secondary adoption improved benefits from promoting RBFSP. The major benefit derived from the improved returns to food fish farmers using locally produced seed. Higher levels of net present value (NPV) and benefit cost ratio (BCR) were achieved based on promotion of mixed-sex tilapia in RBFSP than mono-sex tilapia produced in a large scale central hatchery. Cost-effectiveness in terms of multiplier development impacts on ramification of secondary adopters and, income of fry traders and foodfish producers, RBFSP also showed better performance than a mono-sex tilapia hatchery.

The potential for aquaculture development to make up for an annual 400,000mt shortfall in domestic fish supply was investigated. This involved an overview of the sector to determine its trends and operations and identifying strengths and constraints, a financial viability assessment of the sector, based on mode and levels of operation of existing farms, an assessment of the market and trade for cultured fish with a focus on Oreochromis niloticus, and finally, a GIS approach to update and reassess the potential for aquaculture development in Ghana. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources, the former, via fish farmer, dealers and consumer questionnaire surveys. Results of the study showed that interests in fish farming continue to grow with an overall annual average growth rate of 16% since 2000. The existing farms, 1300 in number were however very small with a mean farm size of 0.36ha and a median 0.06ha of which commercial farms accounted for less than 3%. Based on sizes, mode of operation and levels of input and output, five subsistence farm types were identified. Mean production from these pond-based farms ranged from 1436kg/ha/yr- to 4,423kg/ha/yr while that of a medium sized intensive commercial pond farm was 45,999kg/ha/yr. Commercial farming accounted for about 75% of 2006 aquaculture production. The main strength identified was the growing interest in both commercial and non-commercial fish farming and the main constraints were lack of quality seed, low levels of technical support and of knowledge in fish farming practices among non-commercial farmers. Net profits of commercial farms ranged from GH¢ 3,341 (US$3480)/ha/yr to GH¢ 51,444 (US$ 53,587)/ha/yr with payback from 1 to 4yrs, IRR at 35% to 105% and NPV from GH¢ 5,898 to GH¢ 236,412. By contrast, only two of the five non-commercial farm types made positive net returns ranging, from GH¢158 to GH¢1100/ha/yr, with minimum payback period of 14yrs, NPVs of less than 1 and the best IRR being just 4%, when initial capital requirements are full costed. Uncosted family labour inputs and negligible land opportunity costs improved viabilities for two farm types, where net returns/ha/yr increased by more than 50%, minimum payback dropped to 2 years, NPV from GH¢ 4839 to GH¢ 9330 and minimum IRR of 45%. Main constraints identified as affecting the profitability of subsistence farming were the relatively low prices of fish and the low levels of output which could be improved through better farming practices. From the market survey, a huge market potential for tilapia was identified with a current supply deficit of 41,000mt. The most preferred sizes by consumers and with potentially good market price for traders were those weighing at least 200g. For dealers, trading in cultured fish was found to be more profitable than trading wild capture tilapia because of lower wholesaler prices, gross profit margins were GH¢ 0.49/kg and GH¢ 0.25/kg respectively. Preference for tilapia was influenced by taste, availability, and its perceived health benefit. A key constraint to the sector was poor post-harvest handling and preservation of the fish resulting in shorter shelf life. From the GIS study, 2% (3,692 km2) of available land area was identified as very suitable for subsistence and about 0.2% (313.8km2) for commercial farming. A further 97.4% and 84.0% were identified as suitable for subsistence and commercial farming respectively. Areas with potential for cage culture were also identified, which were largely in the southern and mid-sections of the country. The overall conclusions are that based on natural resource requirements, market potential and financial viability, Ghana has the potential to totally make up the shortfall in domestic fish supply through aquaculture production. The current 400,000mt shortfall in domestic fish production can be achieved by 2020 by increasing overall aquaculture production by 60% per annum.