ALCOM effectively demonstrated the potential for small-scale aquaculture in specific areas in southern Africa, and developed suitable methods for the identification of appropriate culture techniques. The sustainability of ALCOM's results remains uncertain. Most countries in southern Africa have limited human and financial resources, and these limitations are even more conspicuous for the aquaculture sector. This sector is small in all countries and receives a low priority of the governments.
For the development of aquaculture it is therefore necessary that efforts are combined, both at regional as well as national levels.
The regional functions of ALCOM have been important for the development of aquaculture, for the understanding of issues related to its development and for the exchange of information and experiences between the countries. It is therefore recommended that the regional transfer of knowledge related to aquaculture development will remain centralised within a well defined institution.
The emphasis of this institution should slowly change from the present focus of the Programme, and its role should expand beyond the present function of ALCOM. It should continue as a regional information centre. Not just as a library for the distribution of requested literature, but it should play an active role in gathering information and creating a forum where issues related to the development of aquaculture can be discussed.
This institution should be closely linked and related to SADC in such a way that cross sectoral co-operation with water resources management, food security, and agriculture development will be ensured. In this context more attention should be given to regional development, and the elaboration of regional policies; less attention given to methodology development and more on the follow-up of the wider implementation of the methodologies already developed, while ensuring regional co-ordination.
It is realised that this new set up requires extra funding within SADC and that funding is at this moment limited. It is therefore recommended that SADC will request a continuation of the ALCOM Programme with new objectives. It should work towards the full institutionalisation of the Programme within the SADC structure and expand its regional activities.
In this context reference is made to the SADC proposal for the project “BADC/ALCOM Phase II - Integrated Aquatic Systems for Smallholder Farmers”. This project foresees the institutionalisation of the Programme that aims at improved management and use of available aquatic resources for food security.
It is recommended that aquaculture development focus on the mechanisms for the transfer of information to smallholder farmers. On-station research towards new culture technologies for this group of farmers should at this moment not be given high priority. The present technologies, with some local adaptations allows for sufficient scope for improved fish production.
It is also recommended that the countries focus their attention on those areas with high potential for fish farming, adopt the methodology developed by ALCOM for the identification of technology and extension methods and identify suitable extension mechanisms for future expansion.
ALCOM demonstrated that the use of a participatory extension approach is effective, the remaining challenge is to:
identify effective ways to reach more farmers, using informal communication networks;
institutionalize the developed approaches in existing extension services.
It is no longer justified for fisheries departments to work in isolation from other agricultural and rural development services. Aquaculture is a form of crop farming and needs to be approached from within an agricultural framework. There is a need for much more integration of the aquaculture and agriculture sectors at all levels. It is therefore recommended that aquaculture staff receives the same formal training as agriculture staff. This will facilitate the integration and improve the extension work.
The approach of transferring technical messages has changed to a more participatory approach. Fish farming is but one of the farming activities, and often not the one that receives highest priority of the farmers. It is therefore recommended that the departments of fisheries integrate their activities with other departments that focus on areas with similar conditions and farmers belonging to the same target group. For instance, small scale irrigation.
The fisheries departments, or equivalent, at national level are not equipped to conduct aquaculture extension throughout the countries. Collaboration with other services is therefore important for further development of the sector. However, this integration is not automatic and requires demonstration of sustainable adoption. The fisheries departments therefore need to focus their attention on areas where there is sufficient potential for aquaculture. It has been shown that rainfall and topography are important factors determining the areas potential for small-scale aquaculture.
In order for the national departments to fulfil their role in the development of aquaculture it is crucial that staff is suitably qualified. Technical training alone is not sufficient. Much more emphasis has to be given to the economic and social factors that determine technology adoption, and to the use of participatory approaches.
Although it is realised that the integration of the extension services offers the possibility for a wider coverage, it is doubtful whether the services are presently adequately equipped to introduce new technologies. ALCOM has clearly demonstrated the need for a more participatory approach to develop small-scale aquaculture. This requires a change in existing attitudes and approaches to extension. The methodological challenge is how to improve capacities of both farmers and extension agents to analyse their situation and learn from each other. One of the greatest constraints of promoting this approach is the qualifications of available extension staff. They should be able to facilitate discussions, know about the different farming systems and practices used in various communities, and willing to learn from farmers. Generally, most extension services are not well suited to implement this approach.
The overall conclusion is that the main problem is situated at the institutional level. Without referring to this problem, sustainable aquaculture development can not be expected.
