Individual farmers
5.1 The project should go back to the record-keeping forms it used before the computer system broke down. For this type of project, no adequate management can be done without a proper information system. Also, fish-farmers should be taught to hold pond-by-pond records which would tell them how well they are managing their ponds.
5.2 The fish-farming development project should look into the factors behind sales-price differences within the project area and where appropriate, introduce improved pond-site marketing methods.
5.3 The project should record the price obtained by farmers for the sale of their table-size fish and fingerlings.
5.4 The project should assess the opportunity cost of using the land for any fish-farming development operation, by estimating the net income from the best alternative use of the site considered.
5.5 In order to reduce costs of labour and materials, the on-going development project should put emphasis on indirect feeding through the use of locally available products.
5.6 In any case, most fish-farmers cannot achieve positive financial results with the yields they are now getting and extension should be reinforced in order to improve pond management (shortened production cycles, adequate stocking density, improved fertilizing methods).
5.7 The on-going credit scheme should be reviewed. Loans should be given only in cases where a pro-forma cash-flow will show that the beneficiary will be able to reimburse the loan from his fish-farming operations.
Fry production centres
5.8 In the early phases of fish-farming development, it is normal for government services to garantee a supply of fingerlings through its networks of FPCs. Eventually, advanced fish-farmers should be trained in producing fingerlings and replace government stations in this role. Candidates for this role should be identified as soon as possible and trained accordingly.
5.9 When this phase is reached, the Government should keep and operate the stations needed for research and sell the other ones to private farmers.
5.10 It is important for now that a full review of FPCs operations be carried in order to make a full assessment of their economic performances. This review requires keeping full records on a FPC by FPC basis showing clearly what is produced, sold and consumed by each FPC.
