Sustainable Aquaculture for Small-scale Farmers: Need for a Balanced Model

Abstract

Relatively few small-scale farmers culture fish, even in Asia, as the gap between the traditional supply — wild fish — and the demand has begun to widen only relatively recently. Rapid human population growth, overfishing and environmental degradation are providing a stimulus for the growth of aquaculture but sustainable systems of production remain to be developed for most areas. A balanced model involving both on-farm and off-farm resources is required to promote aquaculture so that it can fulfil its potential and contribute significantly to people's welfare. Rising expectations and the poor resource base of most small-scale farms dictate the need to intensify nutrient flows and productivity through increased levels of off-farm inputs, as outlined here for resource-poor northeast Thailand.