Farmer-scientist research partnerships for integrated agriculture-aquaculture

A realistic alternative to traditional technology development and transfer has been utilized by the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM) to integrate pond fish culture into low-input farming systems in Malawi. Resource mapping was used to assess farm resources and constraints and introduce the concept of integrated resource management (IRM), the synergistic movement of resources between and among farm and household enterprises. Farmer-led IRM research projects are conducted on-farm and monitored by researchers through direct observation and on-station simulation of constraints and management practices. Technology-adoption rates by farmers involved in a pilot activity was 65% compared to 0% by farmers exposed only to top-down extension approaches. Within two years of adoption, every participating farmer had transferred the technology to an average of four other farmers without the involvement of the extension services.

Solomon Islands: Western Hub scoping report

Aquatic agricultural systems (AAS) are places where farming and fishing in freshwater and/or coastal ecosystems contribute significantly to household income and food security. Globally, the livelihoods of many poor and vulnerable people are dependent on these systems. In recognition of the importance of AAS, the CGIAR Research Program (CRP) is undertaking a new generation of global agricultural research programs on key issues affecting global food security and rural development. The overall goal of the research program is to improve the well-being of people dependent on these systems. Solomon Islands is one of five priority countries in the AAS program, led by WorldFish. In Solomon Islands, the AAS program operates in the Malaita Hub (Malaita Province) and the Western Hub (Western Province). This program and its scoping activities are summarized in this report.

Solomon Islands: Western Province situation analysis

Aquatic agricultural systems (AAS) are places where farming and fishing in freshwater and/orscoastal ecosystems contribute significantly to household income and food security. Globally, theslivelihoods of many poor and vulnerable people are dependent on these systems. In recognitionsof the importance of AAS, the CGIAR Research Program (CRP) is undertaking a new generationsof global agricultural research programs on key issues affecting global food security and ruralsdevelopment. The overall goal of the research program is to improve the well-being of peoplesdependent on these systems. Solomon Islands is one of five priority countries in the AAS program,sled by WorldFish. In Solomon Islands, the AAS program operates in the Malaita Hub (MalaitasProvince) and the Western Hub (Western Province). This program and its scoping activities aressummarized in this report.

Guia prático de piscicultura

This disclosure brochure prepared by the IIP Aquaculture Department is an adaptation of the manual "Freshwater fish farming: how to begin" published by FAO in 1979. Written in simple language and provided with numerous diagrams, the text has been set according to conditions and characteristics of Mozambique.

松嫩平原农牧交错区优化生态-生产范式——以长岭县为例

松嫩平原农牧交错区位于松嫩平原的西部，中国北方农牧交错带的最东端;具有独特的地质环境特点，环境问题突出，是我国生态脆弱地区之一，及世界三大苏打盐碱土集中分布区之一。近年来，由于人为的不合理利用和开垦、以及粗放的生产模式，使该地区生态系统严重受损，土地沙漠化、水土流失、盐碱化、土地生产力下降等生态环境问题日益突出。因此，建立一个适合该地区生态环境条件、社会经济发展状况的优化生态-生产范式是必要而紧迫的。 本论文以松嫩平原农牧交错区为研究对象，以其典型地段为切入点，通过大量数据的收集、文献资料的查阅、野外考察与测定、室内分析处理等，得出了以下主要结论： 一、生态-地理环境背景分析 松嫩平原农牧交错区是多种生态-地理环境危害并存的区域，其中包括盐碱化、沙漠化、气候灾害、水资源短缺等等。当前，沙化土地和盐碱化土地的面积已占该地区土地总面积的34.27 %，并且呈逐年递增的趋势。松嫩平原农牧交错区气候灾害频发，主要是旱灾、水灾、风灾。此外，水资源短缺以及水质问题，同样影响着农业生产及社会经济发展。造成松嫩平原农牧交错区多种生态-地质环境危害并存的主要影响机制是：该地区自身的地质-地理环境特点、气候因素和人类活动的综合效应，并且人类活动日益成为主要驱动因子。 二、实例研究 松嫩平原农牧交错区优化生态-生产范式研究是以长岭县为例，通过对长岭县景观格局变化分析、土壤格局分布、农牧业生产特点、以及农业可持续性评价等，得出以下结论： 1、对研究区内土地利用格局分析表明：1980 ~ 2000年，在土地利用类型没有发生变化的基础上，表现为各土地利用类型面积上的增减;草地、林地大面积地向农田转移，农田面积明显增加;大规模地开垦农田，已经导致了景观的优势度增加，破碎度增加，多样性下降，这最终将使整个景观趋于更加不稳定。 2、长岭县土壤总体水平较差，障碍性土壤占长岭县总土地面积的55.38 %。从土地利用变化对不同地势条件下土壤理化性状影响分析，结果表明：（1）地势相对高的平台地，土壤肥力较高，且开垦对土壤理化性质的影响相对较小，更适合农业开发;（2）低地原生植被为草甸草原，其养分状况也比较好，但其地势较低，易发生水渍和盐碱化;（3）坡地是当地土壤养分最为贫瘠地区，也是风沙土较集中分布的区域，对其开垦会增大土壤的风蚀和水蚀，使土壤养分状况严重下降。 3、对研究区牧草资源分布格局、牧草资源承载力和利用现状等进行分析，结果表明：放牧系统提供的牧草资源已不能满足当地畜牧业对牧草资源的需求。草地提供的牧草资源仅能满足总牧草需求的16.6 %，放牧系统提供的牧草仅占总牧草需求的47.3 %;玉米秸秆转化为牧草资源的潜力巨大，经估算，占总牧草资源的78.3 %，其承载力为总牧草需求的2.4倍。当前，农牧交错区牧草资源的粗蛋白含量普遍偏低，不能完全满足动物生产的需要，制约了当地畜牧业发展。根据当地畜牧业现状、牧草资源潜力，我们提出：应在合理利用当地牧草资源的基础上，有计划地建立高产优质、富含粗蛋白的人工牧草基地，实现畜牧业可持续发展与生态保护的协调统一。 4、长岭县是以第一产业为主，即农业生产为主要经济来源。对农业生产结构的分析表明：农牧业生产占总农业产值的90 %以上，并以种植业为主，种植业一直占总农业产值60 %以上。受当地气候条件、土壤格局分布的限制，单一粮食生产、粗放的生产模式以及对天然草地资源的过分依赖，最终导致该地区农牧业发展缓慢，经济条件落后。 5、在上述分析的基础上，作者提出了长岭县优化生态-生产范式，即以高效农业生产、生活圈，水土保持和自然生态保育圈、牧草生产基地及生态功能保护圈的三圈等级系统。以此为依据，对土地利用格局进行调整，通过粮、草、经多元农业结构的建设，在合理利用与保护草地的基础上，使长岭县畜牧业走向产业化的发展模式。

Traditional fishing methods of Lakshadweep

Economy of the Lakshadweep islanders depends mainly on coconut farming and fishing. About 30-40% of the population are full time fishermen. Some of the fishing methods practised by the islanders are still traditional, Tuna forms the main established fishery of the island. Pole and line fishing is the most effective fishing method for surface tuna shoals. Most of the traditional fishing operations prevailing in the islands are unique and conducted during neap tides only.

Breeding of Indian major carps and common carp in semi-arid zone of Haryana under controlled environment

Vast barren lands are lying vacant in the semi-arid zone of India, which can effectively be utilised for fish farming. Experiments conducted in semi-arid conditions at Damdama indicated that it is possible to breed Indian major carps and common carp under controlled conditions of modern carps hatchery CIFE D-80 without depending on rain.

Larval rearing of Macrobrachium rosenbergii (De Man) in artificial sea water

Larvae of Macrobrachium rosenbergii were successfully reared in artificial sea water prepared in fresh ground water. The water was circulated through a biological filter by means of air-lift pumps for a period of one week to remove the undissolved particles prior to use in the hatchery operation. The experiments were initiated during 1989 and the hatchery has been working on pilot scale since June, 1990. The larvae in all the experiments were fed with egg-custard, Mona and Artemia nauplii. The survival rate varied from 5 to 52% in the 12 experiments. These findings can add to the development of hatcheries in the inland areas which can further boost the popularization of giant freshwater prawn farming.

Present status and problems of mussel culture in India

Two species of mussels, the green mussel (Perna viridis) and the brown mussel (Perna indica) were cultured using the seed collected from the natural beds of the east and west coasts of India. The results of culture experiments are consolidated and the present status is reviewed. Although the culture experiments gave encouraging results, problems such as mooring of rafts in highly turbulent coastal waters, large scale seed requirements, control of predation, legal problems and marketing of end products require urgent attention before undertaking commercial operations. Some of the major problems of mussel culture are outlined for formulating effective management policies and their implementation for commercial mussel farming in India.

Recent advances in tropical freshwater aquaculture

Several technological advances have been made in tropical freshwater aquaculture during the last three decades. Hatchery production of carp seed was achieved in India and China towards the late 1950's. Channel catfish farming in the U.S. has grown phenomenally. Development of the technology of high density culture using artificial aeration and nutritionally balanced diets has revolutionized freshwater aquaculture, particularly in Israel. Culture of fishes in cages, pens and running water have helped to achieve very high production levels. Considerable research work has been done on fish nutrition during recent years. Investigations on sex control reveal that it is possible to produce a single sex progeny which is more desirable for culture.

Inland prawn fisheries of India and their development

The magnitude and disposition of the inland prawn fisheries resources of the country have been described. The lack of adequate knowledge of the capture fisheries resources has been pointed out and the necessity for an organised survey of the resources and research to formulate measures for their proper management emphasised. The existing methods of prawn farming in the country have been described and the need for research for maximising yields from culture fisheries of prawn has been highlighted. Measures for immediate development of prawn fisheries of the country have also been discussed.

On acid sulfate soils of the coastal aquaculture ponds of Bangladesh

With the stimulus of the very high international market value of penaeid shrimp, new pond areas for shrimp farming are rapidly being added in Bangladesh. Unfortunately, this expansion is occurring with the loss of some natural mangrove forests and with soils and sediments that are far from ideal for aquaculture. In this study, two representative shrimp farming areas were surveyed and pH, in profile depth, was recorded. It was found that the shrimp farming areas of the Chakaria Sundarban are more acidic than those of the Khulna-Satkhira region due to the acid sulfate soils.

Rice-fish and rice mono-crop production at Gouripur, Mymensingh: an economic analysis

This study examines the relative profitability of rice-fish culture and rice mono-crop production at Gouripur thana of Mymensingh district. The results of the study show that the rice-fish farming was economically more rewarding than the rice mono-crop farming, although both the farming activities were found profitable over cash as well as full costs. In addition to extra earnings from fish, the rice-fish farming produced significantly a higher yield of rice requiring very minimum extra cost for fish. Rice-fish farming also reduced variability in yield of and return from rice.

Manipulation of chromosomes in fish: review of various techniques and their implications in aquaculture

Human ingenuity has made it possible to advent the chromosome manipulation techniques to produce individuals with differing genomic status in a number of fish using various causal agents such as physical shocks (temperature or hydrostatic pressure), chemical (endomitotics) and anesthetic treatments either to suppress the second meiotic division shortly after fertilization of eggs or to prevent the first mitotic division shortly prior to mitotic cleavage formation. This results in the induction of polyploidy (triploidy and tetraploidy), gynogenesis (both meiotic and mitotic leading to clonal lines) and androgenesis in fish population. The rationale for the induction of such ploidy in fish has been its potential for generating sterile individuals, rapidly inbred lines and masculinized fish, which could be of benefit to fish farming and aquaculture. In this paper, these are critically reviewed and the implication of recently developed chromosome manipulation techniques to various fin fishes is discussed.

Role of fisheries extension officers in FFDA at Balasore

The first FFDA in Orissa state was established in the year 1976. The study was conducted in Balasore district of the State. The findings revealed that all of the FEOs were not well qualified but trained and experienced. The duration of training obtained varied from 3 to 10 months. An FEO has a large area under his jurisdiction. Cycle was used by most of the FEOs to visit the fish farmers which resulted in infrequent visits. The FEOs were not satisfied with the working conditions, promotion avenues and conveyance facilities. There was interference of political bodies in leasing out ponds. The amount of loan sanctioned was not adequate to start fish farming. They also revealed that marketing aspects were totally neglected by the FFDA.