Aquaculture has long been seen as a potential source of food and as a rural self-sustaining activity; hence, in the mid-1970's a series of workshops were held on a regional basis in Africa, Latin America and Asia, which culminated with the FAO Technical Conference on Aquaculture in 1976 at Kyoto, Japan. The objective was to evolve an efficient system by which to transfer, adapt, and generate technical information and know-how which would permit rational growth of aquaculture in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Under the direction of the Aquaculture Coordination and Development Programme (ADCP) six regional centres were set up between 1978 and 1981 to serve as nuclei for the training of senior aquaculturists, and to carry out multi-disciplinary research in aquaculture and ensure the exchange of know-how and information within regions. These centres are:
African Regional Lead Centre, Aluu, Port Harcourt, Nigeria (ARAC)
Regional Latin American Aquaculture Centre, Pirassununga, Brazil (CERLA)
Regional Lead Centre, Dhauli, Orissa, India (RLCI)
Regional Lead Centre located at NIFI, Bangkok, Thailand (RLCT)
Regional Lead Centre located at SEAFDEC, Tigbauan, Philippines (RLCC)
Regional Lead Centre, Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, China (RLCC)
The four Asian lead centres are known as the Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia (NACA). A seventh centre has recently been added. It is the Interregional Aquaculture Centre, Szarvas, Hungary.
The Centres are headed jointly by host country directors and FAO Technical Advisers and have on their staff varying numbers of experts. The UNDP provides a total of about US dollars 2.5 million a year to the functioning of these Centres and ADCP. Host countries provide funds to meet the operating expenditures of the Centres. Scholarships for trainees are provided by member governments or regional banks. The Centres provide a broad spectrum (general) aquaculture training course of one year duration, and carry out research appropriate to the region. Training consists of one third theory and two thirds practical work.
The Working Group noted with satisfaction progress made so far at the various centres. This includes:
The training of 100 senior aquaculturists in three centres during five training sessions (ARAC, 40 candidates in two sessions; NACA, 36 candidates in two sessions and CERLA, 24 candidates in one session).
The third training course at Port Harcourt (ARAC) started late 1982; the third training course in NACA is underway, while at Pirassununga (CERLA) the second training session started at the beginning of 1983.
Local universities in Nigeria and the Philippines have accepted to award the Master's degree to successful graduates of the African and Philippines Centres.
Two four-month short-term training courses on integrated fish-livestock and crop farming for aquaculture technicians have been given at the China Lead Centre in Wuxi. The third course is to start in April 1983. A three-month course on aquaculture engineering will be held in the Interregional Centre, Szarvas, Hungary starting in June 1983.
Progress in research has also been made at the various centres.
The Working Group also took note of a number of other avenues that exist for short-term training, such as in Japan, at Bouake in the Ivory Coast (with CTFT assistance), at the University of Auburn, USA, etc. It was also noted that USAID has a programme for sending experts for one month periods to countries that request it to provide in-country training. However, these training opportunities are not known to many developing countries.
University-type training is not generally a major problem except that it is usually received in universities located in temperate or sub-tropical countries, and the availability of funds for such training remains a major problem for many.
Many bilateral agencies, as well as the FAO/UNDP sponsored global network of aquaculture centres, have helped develop national research and training centres. Training opportunities also exist in FAO/UNDP country projects, including possibilities for both short-term and degree programmes for national staff associated with the projects.
It was pointed out that a number of countries have made successful efforts to tap a large variety of national and international opportunities to improve manpower for aquaculture, but that many others have not. Those that have not should be assisted in identifying such opportunities.
The training needs in the countries of Africa and Latin America are different from those in Asia due to their lack of a historic tradition in aquaculture. Countries in early stages of aquaculture development, such as many in Africa and Latin America, need special attention. Their scarcest resource is suitably trained manpower. It was also noted that sub-regional and country-country differences within sub-regions call for appropriate adaptations in aquaculture training. The importance of local research programmes to solve special local problems was also emphasized.
Owing to the lack of adequate information on other regional research programmes, and the early stage of development of the research activities of the global network, the Working Party did not attempt a comprehensive review of regional research activities. It commended, however, the thorough preparatory work which has been carried out by the ADCP in developing research programmes for the centres.
Efforts should be made to tap all available sources of training. In this respect it was suggested that ICLARM should consider expanding and publishing its inventory of training opportunities -both short-term and long-term, updating it regularly.
FAO should accelerate the development of ADCP satellite centres linked to the global network. The satellite centres should conduct applied research of sub-regional interest and train technicians in aquaculture technologies appropriate to the sub-region.
Governments should make serious commitments to develop their own national centres to underpin development and to provide training in areas specific to national requirements.
FAO should draw the attention of donors, international development banks, and governments to help to strengthen the existing regional aquaculture centres.
