While the delivery of general agriculture support has been problematical, the provision of specialized aquaculture extension support has been even more demanding. The 1999 Africa Regional Aquaculture Review, held in Accra, Ghana, concluded that there has been “reduced aquaculture extension activity” in recent years in a number of African countries. The Review recommended that extension efforts focus on small-scale farmers and that farmer-to-farmer extension approaches be implemented.
In late 2001, the Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service, through the Fisheries Department Group of the FAO Regional Office for Africa, contracted the WorldFish Center West Africa Office to review current aquaculture extension practices in the Africa Region. Case studies on aquaculture extension were subcontracted to extension specialists in five representative countries of sub-Saharan Africa to review the history, status and planning process of national extension services in these countries (Table 1).
In 2002, these national reviews together with available extension materials were sent to WorldFish in Cameroon where a local consultant was hired to review findings, prepare a synthesis of the reviews and critically examine the extension materials received.
The present review has been prepared within the framework of the Regular Programme activities of the FAO Inland Water Resources and Aquaculture Service of the Fisheries Department.
It is based on an original text proposed by Dr Randall E. Brummett (WorldFish Center, West Africa Office) and Dr V. Pouomogne (Institut de recherche agricole pour le développement) in Yaounde, Cameroon, and revised in Rome by Dr A.G. Coche, FAO-FIRI consultant.
