The place of aquaculture in rural development

Small scale aquaculture is a relatively new technology in southern and eastern Africa. As with many other new agricultural technologies, it is characterized by low rates of adoption, less that optimal productivity and poor sustainability of projects. Structural Adjustment Programmes in sub-Saharan Africa have led to a reduction in government extension budgets and rationalization of extension services, and the privatization of input supplies including the supplies of fingerlings for fish farming. Small scale aquaculture offers good potential for income generation; fish from such activities can contribute to improved food security, especially transitory food insecurity. It is clear that aquaculture integrated with agriculture can contribute to rural development, but experience has shown that the most important critical factor is the extension approach. It is concluded that aquaculture extension should be integrated with agriculture extension and should be part of the overall rural development. The extension approach should change and become participatory. In rural development the challenge is not to ensure that farmers adopt certain activities or techniques, but to ensure that they are aware of the specific opportunities that exist in their situation.