The main objective of the Programme is to elaborate strategies, policies and methodologies for assisting rural people in improving their quality of life through the development of aquaculture. The Programme was initiated by commissioning to consultants the task to carry out desk studies on socio-cultural, socio-economic, bio-environmental and bio-technical aspects of the concept aquaculture in rural development. This was the initial step in a continuous process of identification of problems to be dealt with in practical pilot activities.
The studies were presented for discussion during the Technical Consultation on Aquaculture in Rural Development to allow elaboration on the relevance of the findings for the countries in Southern Africa, and to serve as a background for identification of areas which need further investigations and trials and tests in order to develop the methodologies and strategies.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
The following Terms of Reference were given to the Consultants for the desk studies:
“The objective of the studies shall be to identify those factors likely to be crucial to the integration of aquaculture into rural development, especially with regard to the acceptance to the target group, socio-cultural and economic relevance to a variety of development objectives, and optimal and sustainable use of natural resources. The studies should concentrate on issues and problems relevant to small-scale freshwater production units for tilapias and carps and would be appropriate for any of the countries of Southern Africa, but will also draw upon experiences from other regions where relevant. More specifically the studies will focus on four subject areas; socio-cultural, socio-economic, bio-environmental and bio-technical. Each study will be carried out by a selected expert and should take about two months, including collection of information and report writing.
The studies will be produced as working documents of the project and serve both as a guide and a check-list for the selection and design of the subsequent activities of the programme, and as a set of hypothesis to be tested and refined during execution of the various pilot projects undertaken by the Programme. Each study should, in addition, suggest how these hypothesis might be tested, and, in particular what variables or indicators should be monitored in the pilot projects, or other technical assistance projects, in order to assess their effectiveness.
It is anticipated that these studies will be analysed and synthesized in a special workshop convened for the purpose in 1987”.
