3. The Technical Secretary gave a report of the work carried out by the IPFC/APHCA action programme on integrated fish-crop-livestock farming systems.
Four case studies were conducted in four countries, namely, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal and India. The case study undertaken in Indonesia was presented at the ICLARM-SEARCA Conference on Integrated Aquaculture-Agriculture farming systems held in Manila, 6–9 August 1979. This particular case study is being expanded to cover other areas and also include socio-economic aspects. The case study conducted in Nepal was presented in this Working Party Meeting. The report of case studies in India and Thailand are still being finalized.
A regional survey of rain-fed agro-ecological zones with the support of UNEP is being carried out. The results of this survey are being compiled by a consultant at the FAO Regional Office in Bangkok. Inputs from the aquaculture sector were provided in the study. The information gathered in this survey will serve as the data base for development planning of integrated aquaculture-agriculture in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Secretariats of the IPFC and APHCA at Bangkok met and discussed the organization of the Regional Workshop on integrated fish-crop-livestock farming systems. This Workshop was supposed to have been organized in November 1979 but had to be postponed. The date of the Workshop is now set for 10–13 April 1980 at Chiang Mai, Thailand. The Department of Livestocks of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of the Government of Thailand will host the Workshop. The costs for the local participants will be met by the Thai Government. IPFC/APHCA member countries sending participants to the Workshop will have to cover their expenses and travel to Thailand; sources of funds for this purpose will have to be found for selected participants in the region.
4. A review paper on integrated aquaculture-agriculture farming systems was presented by the Technical Secretary. The paper highlighted the various forms of integration practiced in Southeast Asia. These include pig-fish; duck-fish; rice-fish; poultry-fish; vegetable-fish, fruit trees and fish combinations. The economic returns on these practices are high.
However, the Working Party found that integrated farming systems are not widely practiced in the countries where they exist. Information on the extent of practice in the various countries, the number of farmers involved and the total area under integrated production is lacking.
The paper enumerated some of the constraints that hinder the development of integrated aquaculture-agriculture. These include lack of socio-economic data on small-scale fish farming; inadequate extension; lack of financial support; and lack of research on integrated aquaculture-agriculture production systems. Development of strategies for village socio-economic studies, extension, organization of village level seminars and workshops, research and training were recommended.
5. The review paper was followed by in-depth discussion on specific forms of integrated aquaculture-agriculture based on papers presented by the participants and observers.
6. In the Republic of Korea integrated livestock-fish-crop farming systems are apparently not in practice. However, a programme to improve the welfare of fishermen/farmers through self-help has been undertaken. Aquaculture in tidal beds is being expanded and receiving substantial support from the government. For the expansion of aquaculture development the government has planned to invest U.S.$. 0.6 to 1.0 million for seed production through the establishment of hatcheries. Twenty-seven (27) new hatcheries for conchocelis of laver with a total investment of U.S.$ 3.24 million will be completed by 1981. Extension services will be expanded in the villages to strengthen the self-help fisheries and aquaculture development programme.
7. Integrated fish-crop-livestock farming systems in Thailand are mainly found in the Central Plain where irrigation systems are adequate.
Aquaculture as a component of agriculture in this area is practiced either as a primary or secondary source of income. In most integrated farming practices, aquaculture is the main source of income while livestock and crops are secondary. In Samut Prakarn Province, most paddies have been converted to fish ponds using sepat siam (Trichogaster pectoralis) due to the low rice yields and higher returns obtained from fish.
A case study on a 1.0 ha poultry-fish-vegetable integrated farm showed a total farm profit of 100 390 Bahts or U.S.$ 5 019 per annum. This net income is high considering that average per capita income in Thailand is U.S.$ 632 based on 1979 prices of consumer goods.
The case study showed that while the turnover of produce is fast and profits are high, the farmer still suffers from a shortage of working capital and the consequential unfavourable credit arrangements with feed suppliers. It appears that assistance required by small farmers is not financial but rather in the form of assistance in farm management and utilization of farm resources to meet the requirements for annual production costs. As this is based on only one case study, additional case studies of similar farms would be required to be conclusive.
8. In the Philippines rice-fish and rice-fish-vegetable farming have become established practices particularly in Central Luzon, the rice bowl of the country. Fish seeds and inadequate extension services are the main drawbacks to attain a faster pace of development. Experiments on duck-fish, pig-fish and rice-invertebrate farming are being carried out with the support of the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resource Management (ICLARM).
9. In Hong Kong the main constraint of integrated livestock-fish farming is the recurrence of fish kills particularly during spring and summer when the water temperature is high. Pond aeration systems are being experimented to improve the dissolved oxygen regime of the ponds during such periods. Land-based aquaculture is losing out to urban development. However, cage culture is fast becoming popular particularly with the recent bill passed by Parliament protecting the interest of fish farmers in marine waters.
10. Freshwater and brackishwater aquaculture development is being mainly focussed upon in Malaysia. The national development programme of Malaysia puts top priority on this sector, and the Third Malaysia Plan has launched a subsidy scheme for rural aquaculture. In the Fourth Malaysia Plan, this subsidy scheme is being expanded, based on experience gained in previous years.
11. Among the countries in Southeast Asia, Indonesia has the widest variety of integrated farming systems in practice. These are found mostly in West Java where the farming activities are based mainly on paddy lands. There are 60 000 ha of paddy areas utilized for rice-fish farming here. In all forms of integrated farming systems practiced by small farmers, the economic returns are high. The main difficulty encountered is fish seed production and distribution. Fish seeds are not available in quantities at the time and place of need.
12. Of recent development in the Subang and Karawan Districts of Indonesia is the conversion of unproductive paddy lands in some coastal plains in Java into fishponds. These lands are affected by tidal intrusion during the dry season and high water levels persist for a long time during the monsoon season. Rice production is, therefore, low. In 1978 a few farmers converted their lands into fishponds and in just over a year there were 110 ha converted out of a total 130 ha of unproductive paddy.
The economic returns are high which encouraged the farmers to switch to aquaculture during the dry season. However, the major constraints are shortage of fish seeds, marketing and water supply.
This experience indicates the importance of appropriate development planning to be able to provide the necessary inputs for aquaculture development.
13. The experience of Nepal in the development of integrated livestock-fish and duck-fish-horticulture farming systems has shown encouraging results. Group action by small farmers appears to be an effective mechanism for rural development with integrated aquaculture-agriculture as a vehicle. The main source of income of a 3.42 ha integrated farm was obtained from aquaculture utilizing a 1.80 ha water surface area. An economic analysis of the farm production showed that without aquaculture, the farm is not viable as the income from other crops was low.
The Working Party noted that aquaculture development in Nepal is hastened by the direct involvement of small farmers in the programme of development. This not only saves the government spending money on the training of extension workers, but more significantly this is the multiplier effect of utilizing successful farmers in the villages to undertake pilot demonstration activities. The government institutions are put to work actively to support their needs. Communication gaps between the government and the private sector are also narrowed.
14. In brackishwater aquaculture a new system in Indonesia has been decreed in connexion with mangrove exploitation and conservation. The “Tumpang Sari Tambak” has been implemented for some years now whereby farmers are obliged to plant mangrove trees, Rhizophora and Avicenia at the middle shallow area of the ponds and all along the pond dikes. Tumpang Sari Tambaks are mostly located at the outermost strip of the coastal zones along the northern coast of Java. In West Java this covers about 18 500 ha or 47.9 percent of brackishwater fishponds in the area.
The decree of the Forestry Department regulating the Tumpang Sari Tambaks allows only 3–5 years for the farmer to use the tambak for aquaculture. This restricts the farmers from obtaining loans for further fishpond improvement due to insecurity of tenure on their rights to use the area for aquaculture purposes.
While there is a need to preserve the ecological balance in the coastal zone, the Working Party felt that there is a need to study the productivity of Tumpang Sari Tambaks and how the management could be improved, at the same time increasing fish production in the facility. Further observations on the economic aspects of Tumpang Sari Tambaks and a pure mangrove area are needed in order to serve as a basis for mangrove area management for aquaculture, forestry or both. The conflicting policy in this respect affects the socio-economic welfare of fish farmers. The Working Party felt that the legal and institutional constraint in this respect needs attention.
15. In discussing the experiences of the various countries on integrated aquaculture-agriculture and aquaculture-forestry development, the Working Party summarized the constraints encountered as follows:
Lack of social, economic and farm management studies on integrated farming systems.
Lack of good quality fish seeds and animal stocks to supply the demands of fish farmers.
Lack of developmental guidelines or standard methods of appropriate aquaculture-agriculture techniques.
Inadequate experienced technical manpower.
Ineffective delivery mechanism of technology transfer and technical information dissemination at the farm level.
Lack of capital.
Poor marketing infrastructure support.
Legal and institutional constraints.
Environmental aspects, particularly the effects of pesticides applied in agriculture and aquaculture farming in relation to human health.
16. The Working Party noted the recent launching of two FAO/UNEP environmental impact projects in their preparatory phase (i.e., (i) impact of pollution in mangrove ecosystems; and (ii) impact of oil pollution in living aquatic resources in the East Asia seas). As these projects will shortly be implemented attention is called for long-range benefits considering fisheries, aquaculture and environmental balance.
