PART IV
6. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FISHERIES DEPARTMENTS

Details of the recommendations are given in Chapter 8 of ALCOM report no. 9. An abbreviated version is presented here.

2	3	1

The recommendations can be classified into three parts as follows:

1. Advice & assistance to farmers/fishermen
2. Contacts with Ministry of Finance, etc
3. Organization of A.D.U. (Aquaculture Development Unit)

The recommendations take account of:

• Seminar conclusions
• Trends to reduce public administration;
• Importance of efficiency and effectiveness of government actions

6.1 Advice and assistance to farmers/fisherman

6.1.1 Preparation

Goal: Contribute to economic growth

* First, from ADU Headquarters, organize through field based personnel of ADU or other government departments:

• fish pond survey (where is the average size in use?)
• water availability?
• land availability?
• rural economy (underemployment, trends)

On the basis of these data:

* in the FIELD, undertake these studies:

1. In areas with stagnant rural economies & apparent surplus of water and land, but no fish ponds (because of possibility of consumption effect & economic growth effects), find out:

   • economic availability land & water;
   • fish consumption patterns;

   • for initiating extension effort, rank areas according to land/water & fish consumption habits;

2. In areas with growing agricultural economies and fish ponds (in use), find out:

   • Do farmers have increasingly interesting alternative uses for the inputs they now provide to fish ponds?
   • What alternatives are there for modifying the fish culture technology so that the farmer obtains more per hour worked in fish farming, without reducing income from other resources?
   • Is specialization in fish farming feasible (to realize some economies of scale)?
     
     

   • Results:

   • List of areas for initiating farmers into fish farming;
   • List of areas where improved fish culture technologies would make economic sense.

6.1.2 Implementation of programme

Basic

1. Farmers do the work.
2. Technology partly determined by relative availability of factors of production.

Areas with stagnant economy:

1. Inform farmer about prospects of fish farming: he decides whether or not to go in for it.
2. No permanent extension as long as economy remains stagnant.
3. First priority: Good ponds.
4. Second priority: Help fish to reach markets.
5. Move on to next area when farmers have been reached.

Figure 15

Selection of priority areas for fish farming introduction and expansion

	Stagnant rural economy	Dynamic rural economy (1)
Introduce fish farming	(2)
Expand fish farming		(3)

1. And close to full employment
2. Priority for introduction - areas where land and water are freely available
3. Increases income per man-day

Areas with growing economies and fish ponds:

(i) Advice meant to increase earnings/man-day

6.1.3 Maintaining activities up to date

1. Monitor rural economy
2. Developments in fish culture technology
3. Developments in fish markets
4. Internal audit of effectiveness/efficiency.

6.2 Establish and pursue Government contacts

6.2.1 Mobilization of funds

• Consumption effect
• Productivity improvements
• Internal Audit

6.2.2 Collaboration with other departments:

• Monitoring of rural economic growth
• Support to agricultural extension

6.3 Organization of A.D.U.

6.3.1 Staff

• Employ aquaculture extension experts to train agricultural extension workers;
• Recruit highly qualified aquaculturists for adapting existing technology to local conditions;
• Be prepared to provide assistance in post-harvest activities (preservation, processing, transport, marketing).

6.3.2 Infrastructure

• Upgrade one fish culture station to top level fish culture research and development unit; less need to have fish culture stations essentially as sources of fingerlings;
• Ensure mobility

6.3.3 Activities

• Leave extension effort to agriculture;
• Conduct research aimed at demonstrating the economic viability of otherwise (environment, social) acceptable aquaculture technology;