A report prepared for the
Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service
of the FAO Fisheries Department
by
André G. Coche
Consultant
and
Jean Collins
Librarian
FAO Fisheries Department
in collaboration with
Antoinette Ziéhi
Consultant
IDESSA Côte dIvoire
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Accra, 1997
New library wing at Bunda College of Agriculture, Bunda, Malawi (by J. Collins)
The resulting synthesis on the information presented in 12 national reviews on development and research needs provided the basis for proposing an Indicative Action Plan for Aquaculture Research in sub-Saharan Africa (CIFA Technical Papers 23 and 23 Suppl., 1994). This Action Plan was presented to and discussed with the countries involved in the Second Session of the Working Party on Aquaculture of the Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa (CIFA - Harare, Zimbabwe, 13-17 September 1993). It was endorsed during the Ninth Session of CIFA (Harare, Zimbabwe, 5-9 December 1994)
The Action Plan comprised eight regional research programmes, addressing themes which could alleviate identified development constraints. In addition, it proposed an Information Programme which should support the identified research programmes. Multidisciplinary information collection, storage and dissemination through networking was considered essential for future development of aquaculture in Africa and thus became a top priority programme of the Action Plan.
In 1996, as no positive response from donors had been elicited to start implementing the proposed Action Plan, the Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service of the FAO Fisheries Department decided to go ahead using its own financial resources coupled with the Partnership Programme Scheme. A formulation mission was fielded in October 1996 to visit several countries in sub-Saharan Africa to study the existing possibilities for the initial establishment of a multidisciplinary Information Network for Aquatic Farming Systems.
Distribution:
CIFA Mailing List
FAO Fisheries Department
FAO Regional Fishery Officers
Authors Coche, A.G.; Collins, J. Supporting aquaculture development in Africa: Aquatic Farming Systems Information Network. CIFA Occasional Paper. No. 22. Accra, FAO. 1997, 72p.ABSTRACTThis is the report of a mission fielded in October 1996 to visit successively existing libraries in Côte dIvoire, Mali, Kenya, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Nigeria, previously identified as potential contributors to an information network on aquatic farming system. Available resources (infrastructure, trained staff, equipment, collections and networking activities) were identified and evaluated. Interest and willingness to participate in the network were ascertained. Main findings were the following:
In conclusion, the mission recommended:
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1. ORIGIN, ORGANIZATION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE MISSION
2. OVERVIEW OF INFORMATION RESOURCES FOR AQUATIC FARMING SYSTEMS IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
3. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
ANNEX 1: Persons Met and Mission Schedule
ANNEX 2: List of Acronyms and Organizations
ANNEX 3: Libraries Visited by the Mission and Completed Questionnaires
ANNEX 4: Participation in Existing Networks