Small-scale Aquaculture Research Articles

Economics of small-scale aquaculture farms in Brazilian Northeastern semi-arid region: Characteristics, feasibility, and profitability models

Inland aquaculture represents a significant component of the aquaculture sector in Brazil. This activity is present in all Brazilian regions, yet the economic feasibility and the relationship between their productive variables and profitability indices remain poorly accessed in Brazil's semi-arid regions. This study aims to characterise, assess the economic feasibility, and evaluate the relationship between productive variables and profitability indices in the aquaculture sector in Feira Nova (Northeast Brazil). The data was collected through interviews with all producers in Feira Nova city and modelled using the software R. The aquaculture sector in Feira Nova is predominantly small-scale and encompasses a wide range of production strategies for shrimp and fish cultures, with profitable outcomes. The models demonstrated that economic and management variables were more closely associated with profitability indices than farm characteristics such as farm size. Feira Nova's profitability indices reinforces the small-scale aquaculture as a promising activity to alleviate poverty and generate wealth in Brazil semi-arid regions. However, governance improvements are necessary to boost the development of inland aquaculture in the country.

The impact of extension delivery through private local service providers on production outcomes of small-scale aquaculture farmers in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Purpose This study delves into the effectiveness of local service providers (LSP) in improving production outcomes of small-scale aquaculture farmers in Bangladesh. Design/methodology/approach To gauge the effectiveness of LSPs, the research employs a performance-based assessment approach, focusing on 1653 fish farming households distributed across four different participation levels. Essentially, it compared quantifiable variables like the number of species cultured, productivity, proportion of fish sold and revenue metrics of the LSP-trained farmers against a control group that has not received training from LSPs. Data analysis was conducted with Multivalued Treatment Effects (MTE) estimated using an augmented inverse-probability weighting method that allows for heterogeneous treatment effects. Findings Findings revealed that farmers who received the LSP extension training exhibited a significant increase in all outcomes compared to their counterparts. The LSP extension participating farmers are more likely to adopt better management practices like improved feeding routines, dike constructions, pond cleanliness, and fish growth monitoring. Practical implications LSP extension model with enhanced capacity can be a catalyst for improved production of small-scale aquaculture farmers. Theoretical implications This study contributes to a research agenda related to the efficiency of emerging pluralistic extension service systems that favors decentralization, privatization, and outsourcing of extension service, and their capability to enhance the production outcomes of small-scale farmers. Originality/value This study addresses an important research gap in the agricultural extension literature, which is the value-for-money of Local Service Providers, and their capability to enhance the production outcomes of small-scale farmers.

Assessment of water quality and plankton production in managed and unmanaged fresh water ponds in district Hisar, Haryana, India

Managed and unmanaged extensive fisheries culture systems in small village ponds in district Hisar of Haryana, India to correlate the water quality and biological cycles in ponds with fish production were undertaken. The studies revealed that the ponds are in good trophic status. Chlorides, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), phosphates (o-PO4) and ammonia were high whereas dissolved oxygen and fish growth/yield was low in unmanaged ponds in comparison to managed ponds. This may be due to high organic loads.The deterioration of water quality, as indicated by very high ammonia and BOD in unmanaged ponds might have decreased the fish growth and a variety of factors like organic load, ammonia production, nature/quantity of fertilizers may have influenced such correlations. Management of water quality by managing the optimization of waste input in village ponds may help in enhancing the fish production through such small scale aquaculture.. KEYWORDS :Water quality, Physico-chemical characteristics, Fish yield, BOD, Ammonia

Proximate Composition of Some Fish Feed Samples for Small-scale Aquaculture Farmers in Bobasi Sub-County, Kisii County, Kenya

Proximate Composition of Some Fish Feed Samples for Small-scale Aquaculture Farmers in Bobasi Sub-County, Kisii County, Kenya

Productivity and profitability of small-scale aquaculture in Malawi

ABSTRACT Small-scale aquaculture in Malawi contributes to nutrition and food security, and serves as a rural income diversification strategy. Nevertheless, its adoption is low. Drawing on a recent survey of 732 small-scale fish farms across the country, this study assesses the production, yield, profit, and profit per square metre of small-scale fish farms and explores their determinants using regression analysis. Most fish farms are owned and managed by individual farm-households, though communally owned farms are also present. Small-scale aquaculture is found to be profitable, though the gross margins are slim. Regression results reveal that production and profit are positively associated with the use of farms for both fingerling and grow-out production and the number of years the farm has existed, while yield and profit/m2 are positively associated with the use of high-quality inputs such as commercial feed and inorganic fertilisers. These results suggest that small-scale fish farmers in Malawi and other similar settings should adopt improved technologies and follow best on-farm management practices to increase production and profits. This study contributes to the discourse on the pathway through which aquaculture in Malawi can best contribute to the country’s development.

Diversification strategies have a stabilizing effect for income and food availability during livelihood shocks: Evidence from small-scale aquaculture-agriculture systems in Myanmar during the COVID-19 pandemic

CONTEXTDiversification is an important strategy used by millions of small-scale food producers globally to improve yields, farm profitability, and food security. Diversification can also enable small-scale producers to cope better with livelihood shocks. However, it is not always clear through which pathways diversification practices can stabilize livelihoods and food security in small-scale production systems, especially in the context of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVEIn this study we examined whether and how diversification practices stabilized income and food availability in small-scale food production systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The diversification practices explored in this study included fish polyculture and integrated aquaculture-agriculture (IAA), and their combination. We compared small-scale systems employing different combinations of these diversification strategies, with systems that did not contain them. METHODSWe analyzed 300 surveys of small-scale aquaculture producers in Myanmar. Structural equation modeling was applied to examine the multivariate relationships between the adoption of diversification practices among the small-scale producers, and whether and how the adoption stabilized their livelihoods during the COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSWe find that the integration of diversification practices in different small-scale aquaculture-agriculture (SSAA) production systems had generally positive effects for the stabilization of income, food availability or both during the COVID-19 pandemic. The novelty of the study is the unraveling of the differentiated pathways between production models that enabled these stabilization processes emerge. We find major divergences in the stabilization potential between polyculture and IAA, both in terms of the magnitudes of the stabilization effects and the pathways. Polyculture generally offered more significant stabilizing effects than IAA. Surprisingly the highest and more significant positive effects for the stabilization of food availability came through the purchase of food items from extra fish/crop income, rather than their increased self-consumption. SIGNIFICANCEOverall, the SSAA production systems combining different diversification practices could form proactive strategies to help small-scale food producers cope with livelihood shocks.

Intensity and prevalence of ectoparasites in whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and mud crab Scylla serrata harvested from Aceh waters Indonesia

Ectoparasite infections are a common problem in small-scale aquaculture, exerting a substantial influence on fishery production. In the context of Indonesia, the two prevalent fishery commodities are whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannameii and mud crab Scylla serrata. These species are extensively cultured within Aceh province, using traditional and semi-intensive aquaculture ponds and there are no reports on ectoparasites in these two species of crustaceans. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the intensity and prevalence of ectoparasites in mud crab and whiteleg shrimp from Aceh between August to December 2022. Mud crab samples were collected from three locations, namely Langsa City, East Aceh, and North Aceh districts, while whiteleg shrimp samples were sampled from coastal ponds in Banda Aceh, Aceh Besar, and Aceh Jaya districts. The samples were collected over five months, and a total of 300 for each species were examined microscopically by scraping the swimming legs body, and gills. Furthermore, macroscopic-sized and microscopic-sized ectoparasites were observed using stereo and binocular microscopes, respectively. The results showed that five species of ectoparasites were recorded during the study, namely Octolasmis sp., Vorticella sp., Epistylis sp., Oodinium sp., and Zoothamnium sp. Mud crab exhibited infestations of Octolasmis sp., Vorticella sp., Epistylis sp., and Oodinium sp., while whiteleg shrimp were infested by Vorticella sp., Epistylis sp., and Oodinium sp. In this study, the highest intensity for crab and shrimp was recorded in Octolasmis sp. and Epistylis sp., in November and September, respectively. The gills showed higher intensity compared to other infested organs and based on sample origin, crab and shrimp from Langsa and Banda Aceh Cities had higher results compared to other locations. The prevalence of ectoparasites exhibited a high value, reaching 100%, showing that crustacean samples were infested by ectoparasites. Therefore, the intensity of ectoparasite was varied according to sample of origin, time of sampling and infested organs. The samples of both crab and whiteleg shrimp from all locations consistently exhibited ectoparasite infestations throughout the entire study period.Keywords:Octolasmis sp.Vorticella sp.Epistylis sp.Oodinium sp.Zoothamnium sp.

Prospects of equitable and sustainable seaweed aquaculture: a case study of changing gender and socio-economic relations in Maullín, Chile

This article examines the development of marine tenure in the Maullín River, Chile. It starts with the emergence of artisanal red algae (Gracilaria chilensis) gathering and the changes resulting from the governmental ad hoc allocation of small-scale aquaculture concessions. We aim to track this transition, its drivers, effects on the work organization, gender relations, market relations and the sustainability/equity challenges currently confronting the community. We use a feminist political ecology approach to direct our multi-method data collection strategy and to analyse the empirical material. The State by enabling local tenure for the development of marine aquaculture concessions played an influential role in Maullín community attaining de facto territorial tenure. This led to the establishment of residential aquaculture communities while facilitating the integration of women in aquaculture activities. We see both steps as positive economic and social development opportunities in Maullín. While marine tenure has provided livelihood chances, low prices caused by the producers’ disadvantaged market position and the lack of supportive alliance building pose ongoing problems. We conclude that these factors are serious challenges to the sustainability of aquacultural livelihoods at Maullín River. While the case depicts aspects of women’s empowerment such as their engagement in developing potential post-production innovation ideas, entrepreneurial abilities to conduct market transactions as well as their better competence in literacy, math and financial expertise, there is still a long way to reach gender equality in the male-dominated aquacultural sector.

Lernaeid parasites prevalence in commercial freshwater fish species at various fish farms in Pakistan.

Reports abound on Lernaea parasitizing the brood stock, fingerlings, and marketable-sized culturable freshwater fish species in various parts of the world. We investigated seven small-scale aquaculture farms and how the prevailing Lernaea is impacting them. Randomly seven fish farms were selected to determine the prevalence percentage of lernaeid ectoparasites. Relevant information of the fishponds to estimate the various aspects such as effects of water source and quality, feed, stocking density, treatment used, and weight and length of fish, concerned with Lernaea infestation and prevalence was gathered. The results indicated that Catla catla (F. Hamilton, 1822) showed highest prevalence (41.7%) among the seven fish species, whereas Oreochromis niloticus showed zero. Other five fish species Ctenopharyngodon idella, Cirrhinus cirrhosis, Cyprinus carpio, Labeo rohita and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix showed 13.2%, 8.1%, 7.7%, 7.4%, 0.9% prevalence, respectively. In Royal Fish Farm 84.3% lernaeid infestation was observed, while no parasite was observed in the Vicent's Chunnian fish farm. The water source, quality, feed, fertilizers, stocking density, water temperature, and potential treatment options displayed varying tendencies among fish farms and prevalence. Depending on the weight and length, the highest prevalence (56.7%, and 66.7%) was observed in 3501-4000 g and 81-90 cm groups. The infestation rate varied in various fish body parts with the dorsal fin the most vulnerable organ and showed 2.3% overall prevalence (while 18.4% contribution within total 12.6% infestation). Out of 147 infected fish samples, 45 were extensively contaminated by Lernaea spread. In conclusion, our findings confirm that Lernaea could pose a considerable threat to marketable fish, and various treatment options should be educated to the farmers to help mitigate the spread and potential losses. Furthermore, Catla catla is more vulnerable to Lernaea infestation (41.7%), so are the fish species being cultured at higher stocking densities.

Impact of adoption of better management practices and nutrition-sensitive training on the productivity, livelihoods and food security of small-scale aquaculture producers in Myanmar

Small-scale aquaculture is a major source of food in Myanmar. Beyond its importance for food security and nutrition, small-scale aquaculture contributes to the livelihoods of many rural households and is a potentially valuable strategy for rural development. However, small-scale aquaculture producers have limited access to improved production technologies and information, which hampers the productivity and socioeconomic performance of small-scale aquaculture systems. In this study we assessed the impact of the adoption of better management practices and exposure to nutrition-sensitive training by 379 small-scale aquaculture producers in the Sagaing and Shan regions of Myanmar. We focused on whether and how the exposure to these interventions affected household food security through improvements in productivity and livelihoods. We used Propensity Score Matching to compare the performance of groups that were exposed to the intervention for one or two years, for seven impact variables. Exposure to the intervention had a positive effect for most impact variables, with differentiated effects among variables, group comparisons and regions. In terms of food security, beneficiaries had significantly higher dietary diversity (measured as the Food Consumption Score, FCS), but there were no significant differences for fish self-consumption (measured in kg/week). Longer exposure to the interventions produced significantly higher positive effects across most impact variables for the 2-year beneficiaries compared to 1-year beneficiaries and control groups. Our study suggests that the length of exposure to such interventions can be important in mediating the actual impact of small-scale aquaculture systems on household food security and livelihoods. Sustained help to small-scale producers should be considered in initiatives and development projects seeking to enhance the food security and rural development of small-scale aquaculture systems in Myanmar, and beyond.

Can the Indonesian collective action norm of Gotong-Royong be strengthened with economic incentives? Comparing the implementation of an aquaculture irrigation policy program

The Indonesian multi-level governmental program (PITAP) is a participatory pond irrigation management policy established by the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries. It aims to catalyze the rehabilitation of irrigation canals to improve water access for small-scale aquaculture farmers. In PITAP, traditional aquaculture farmers are incentivized with government funding to create community-based co-management groups (POKLINA), to maintain the self-governance of their irrigation canals. The logic of PITAP is to encourage POKLINA farmers to rehabilitate their irrigation canals through subsidized labor payments that are coupled with strengthening the strong cultural norm of mutual assistance (i.e., collective action) within Indonesian society called Gotong-Royong. PITAP aims to revitalize Gotong-Royong through subsidized labor compensation with the hope that when the subsidy program is over, Gotong-Royong will be revitalized without external support. In this study, we compare and analyze four villages on Lombok, Indonesia, that participated in PITAP program in 2020 and 2021. The study is supported with empirical data using various qualitative data collection methods, including interviews, participant observations, and the collection of policy documents. We further use the Social-Ecological System Framework (SESF) as a diagnostic tool to structure the data collection process and analysis. Findings indicate that different variables hinder and enable collective action in the four villages, leading to different PITAP program outcomes. The likely reason for this, suggested by our findings, is that each village has different social and ecological conditions that influence intrinsic motivation for collective action. PITAP program either crowds out intrinsic motivation under some conditions or crowds it in under others. This suggests the need to consider contextual adaptations in policy design and implementation to improve outcomes better.

Humic Acid Aplication in Catfish Farming Using Bucket System in Muncul Fish Farm, Banyuwangi, Indonesia

In Banyuwangi, Indonesia, where the vast potential of natural resources remains largely untapped optimally, the community partnership program (CPP) was introduced to enhance freshwater fish production, with a specific focus on catfish farming in the Muncul fish farm. The region's catfish production, the largest among consumer fish commodities, had been hampered by traditional and semi-intensive methods, limited facilities, disease risks, and uncertain market conditions. To address these challenges, the CPP employed a participatory approach, fostering a close relationship between the community development team and partner groups. Through scientific problem-solving discussions, valuable input from partners, and active participation in decision-making, catfish farmers were empowered. The central innovation of applying humic acid in a bucket fish farming system significantly improved catfish productivity and profitability. As a result, partners gained knowledge and skills in intensive bucket fish farming, substantially increasing their productivity and income. To further expand the benefits of this program, promoting urban farming concepts, especially the bucket fish farming system, should be encouraged to engage more individuals with limited space in small-scale aquaculture for food security and income generation.

Small-Scale Freshwater Aquaculture, Income Generation and Food Security in Rural Madagascar

This study aims to investigate the nexus between small-scale freshwater aquaculture and poverty-related factors like income generation and food security in rural Madagascar. Evidence of this relationship is scarce in the Global South, particularly in island states. Using linear and logistic regressions and data collected from fish farmers and consumers across six regions in Madagascar in 2021, we obtained significant findings. Extension services, integrated production systems, and higher education are positively correlated with fish-based income generation. For instance, membership in a cooperative can double an aquaculture farmer’s total annual income compared to that of other producers. Wealth is a key determinant of food security, but female decision-makers, fish consumption, and education are also positively correlated with food security. These insights emphasize the vital roles of small-scale aquaculture and women in the household in enhancing livelihoods and food security, underscoring the need for targeted support and policy interventions to foster inclusive and resilient freshwater aquaculture in island states.

Evaluation of bivalve spat recruitment in artificial collectors to identify potential species for small-scale farming in the north Pacific coast of Colombia

Decreases in fish stocks have led to new resource research, particularly in the Colombian Pacific where only a few species have traditionally been exploited. Among commercial species, bivalves are commonly implemented in small-scale aquaculture and their success and sustainability depend on consistent larval recruitment. Therefore, we evaluated the spat recruitment of some bivalves species and their potential for marine aquaculture in the north Colombian Pacific. To assess their potential, artificial substrates were exposed to different depths (3, 6, 9, and 12 m) during three immersion times (two, four, and six months) in five collecting stations along Bahía Cupica (Chocó department). Only Pinctada mazatlanica (Hanley, 1856) spat were recruited over the entire period, reaching up to 3.70 ± 5.76 individuals/collector (mean ± SD) on the external stations. Considering immersion times and depths, the highest recruitments were recorded after two months at 6 m depth. Also, two other species with potential commercial interest were recruited, Pinna rugosa Sowerby I, 1835 and Isognomon janus Carpenter, 1857. The densities and distributions of P. rugosa were very similar to P. mazatlanica; in turn, I. janus was the dominant species among the bivalve community. Hence, we highlight the potential of P. mazatlanica as an alternative resource in the north Colombian Pacific due to their continuous recruitment, as well as the potential exploitation of P. rugosa and I. janus due to their simultaneous recruitment. Furthermore, we highlight the benefits of cultivating these species, and particularly P. mazatlanica, as could significantly improve the economy and food security of local communities.

Subjective Socioeconomic Status in Small-Scale Aquaculture: Evidence from Central-Southern Chile

Socioeconomic status (SES) is a multidimensional concept that involves objective markers, such as income, education, and occupation, along with subjective data, which indicate how people perceive their socioeconomic position. Gaps and the lack of linear relationships in objective SES data have supported the need to include subjective markers. This study evaluates the effect of certain critical predictors on the subjective SES of small-scale aquaculture producers in Central-Southern Chile, addressing a gap in research. We explore the impact of income, education, occupational settings, social capital, and subjective health status on self-reports of current and future subjective socioeconomic status. We use primary data collected through a government-funded project. The fieldwork included a face-to-face survey implemented between February and March 2017 with 225 participants, all located in the Bio-Bio or Lagos regions of Chile. Bi-probit regression models were applied to test how the current and future subjective SES is affected by the following variables: engaging small-scale aquaculture production, having a secondary occupation, harvesting two or more different resources, maintaining extended social networks to cope with economic problems, subjective health status, average monthly income from aquaculture or fishery, perceptions about how difficult it is to find alternative work, and education as means for personal and occupational development. The results show that engaging in small-scale aquaculture positively affects current and future subjective socioeconomic status. Income is a robust predictor of present and future socioeconomic status. Education loses relevance on subjective SES later in life, whereas social capital gains importance.

Multi-stakeholder perception analysis of the status, characteristics, and factors affecting small-scale carp aquaculture systems in Bangladesh

Inland aquaculture is essential for the food and livelihoods of millions of small-scale producers across the global South. Very diverse actions from national governments, civil sector and international organizations have been seeking to enhance the performance of small-scale aquaculture systems. However, many of these efforts are constrained by the general lack of information about the status and characteristics of the sector. In many cases, data are unavailable, highly aggregated or outdated, thus failing to provide a clear picture of the situation on the ground to inform relevant efforts. Bangladesh is one such country, where, on the one hand, the aquaculture sector is extremely important for national economic growth, rural development and food and nutrition security, but on the other hand suffers from a general lack of quality data to inform relevant actions. In this study, we report the findings generated though eight workshops that engaged 215 stakeholders involved in the Bangladesh small-scale carp aquaculture sector. By leveraging the expertise of the participants, we obtain an overarching picture of the characteristics of small-scale carp production models around the country. The findings suggest a large variability of production models and levels of intensification, which are mainly based on polyculture involving species such as rohu, catla, and mrigal. These systems have been roughly categorized in four types characterized by different levels of intensification and dominant species, which are present across the country with varied socio-economic, infrastructure and environmental conditions. The study also identified an unfolding shift in the last years, from subsistence-based to commercially oriented production. In terms of market preference, quite different carp attributes are valued among small-scale producers across the country, with large size of carp, its rapid growth and the availability of improved strains being the most valued. As aquaculture, and particularly carp aquaculture, is important for rural development in Bangladesh by sustaining households’ income and livelihoods in different ways, we argue for the need to undertake more detailed studies to understand the characteristics and performance of these types of small-scale aquaculture systems. This will be indispensable for informing policies and actions that aim to target more effectively the different types of producers, and to improve the overall performance and sustainability of the sector.

Profitability Analysis of Small-Scale Cage Aquaculture Farms in the Volta Lake of Ghana

In Ghana, aquaculture offers acceptable opportunities for generating income. Cage aquaculture has a lot of potential for growth in Lake Volta. In this region, cage aquaculture farmers perform aquaculture in a variety of ways that fall into three major groups: commercial, medium scale, and small scale. In this study, the profitability and production economics of small-scale aquaculture operations in Lake Volta were examined. The average total revenue accrued and the average total costs of production were Gh₵395231.25 and Gh₵267970.15, respectively. The overall gross margin and net return for all the farms were Gh₵130294.02 and Gh₵127,261.10 per cycle, respectively. The overall assessment of the profitability performance indicators such as the benefit-cost ratio (BCR), the return on investment (ROI), the net present value (NPV), the operating expense ratio (OE), the operating profit margin (OPM), and the gross margin ratio (GMR) were 1.47, 47.49%, Gh₵407625.47, 0.77%, 32.20%, and 33.00%, respectively. These indicators showed that small-scale cage fish farming in the study area is profitable. The sensitivity analysis further demonstrated that small-scale cage fish production was robustly profitable. In light of this, the study suggests that stakeholders educate small-scale cage aquaculture farmers on the profitability of the business and make a concerted effort to teach and equip farmers with best management practises (BMPs), water quality management, feeds, and feeding management.

Pond water quality and its relation to fish yield and disease occurrence in small-scale aquaculture in arid areas

The study was conducted to determine the associations between water availability and management practises with pond water parameters in small-scale aquaculture in arid areas. Further, the study determined the associations between fish yield and disease incidence with the pond water parameters. We visited 36 tilapia farmers in Dodoma, a semi-arid region in Tanzania, for interviews and measurements of pond water parameters. The interviews collected information about pond type, pond age, water sources, feed type, pond fertilisation, stocking density, and disease incidences. The sources of water for the aquaculture activities were tap water, boreholes, and shallow wells. The source of water and management practises were linked to the parameters of the pond water. On the other hand, the parameters of the pond water were associated with fish yield and the likelihood of disease occurrence. Fish yield had a non-linear relationship with DO, turbidity, salinity, and stocking density and a linear association with pH. To expand aquaculture development in arid areas, efficient use of water through integrated aquaculture is recommended. Training farmers in good management practises and integration is necessary to ensure sustainable aquaculture development in arid areas.

Green total factor productivity of dairy cows in China: essential facts from the perspective of regional heterogeneity

Introduction: Enhancing the green total factor productivity of dairy cows (GPDC) is crucial for fostering the low-carbon sustainable development of the dairy industry.Methods: This research utilizes the Minimum distance to weak efficient frontier–Meta frontier–Malmquist–Luenberger (MinDW-MML) index to examine the GPDC using the unbalanced panel data on dairy cows in 26 provinces of China from 2004 to 2020, taking into account regional heterogeneity and unexpected output.Results: The findings revealed that 1) from 2004 to 2020, China’s GPDC displayed a fluctuating and declining trend, with the steepest decrease occurring from 2007 to 2010 (2.26% at the common frontier and 1.81% at the group frontier). The fundamental cause of the low GPDC, as seen from the standpoint of efficiency decomposition, is technical advancement (technological change, or TC); 2) the GPDC exhibits a declining trend from east to west to central China for the two-level frontier. The eastern region benefits clearly from technological advancement (TC) and improved technical performance (EC), while the middle and western regions are mostly constrained by TC; and 3) the GPDC displayed regional heterogeneity at several scales. Although the efficiency values of medium- and small-scale aquaculture were low and large-scale aquaculture GPDC in the eastern and western regions was greater than 1, the GPDC did not reach the effective state in the central region.Discussion: Based on these findings, we propose policy recommendations such as promoting technological innovation and low-carbon technology in dairy farming, improving the technical system of dairy farming, and optimizing the industrial layout of dairy farming, which will serve as a model for future high-quality and sustainable dairy farming development in China, and provide an experience for green dairy farming development in other countries.

Integrated agriculture-aquaculture as an alternative to improving small-scale fish production in Zambia

Aquaculture is a significant industry in food production, and its contribution to food and nutrition security is well acknowledged. Zambia’s aquaculture production has continued to increase significantly, thus playing a key role in supplying animal protein sources for human consumption. However, recent estimates show that 75% of the national aquaculture production comes from large-scale commercial producers despite being by far the minority while the majority of small-scale producers contribute the remaining 25% of the total annual production. This low production by small-scale producers is attributed to insufficient financial resources, poor management and utilization of farm resources, lack of access to competitive markets, and more recently a changing climate. In this research, we examine the viability of integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) as a means for small-scale producers in Zambia to boost their aquaculture output despite the numerous obstacles they face. In addition, the obstacles that could prevent small-scale farmers from adopting IAA have been emphasized. We conclude that IAA has the potential to dramatically boost small-scale aquaculture production in Zambia, but information and understanding must be improved to make it a more feasible alternative.