Intensifying ecologically Small holder Fish Farming Systems in West and Central Africa (SyPiEx project)

Result 1. Technologies and innovations

Six (6) technologies and innovations to address the majors constraints and farmers needs developed:

  • Three (3) technologies in Biotechnical and environmental optimization of extensive family fish farming systems developed: (1) improving natural productivity of trophic network (plankton, organic matter), (2) putting into use the local by-products in fish feeding) and (3) integrated fish farming with rice, an ecological intensification option of extensive family fish farms;
  • Improved technology for Tilapia seed production in the extensive family fish farming systems developed;
  • Technique for successive stocking of pond to improve the productivity of family extensive fish farming;
  • Co-culture of Tilapia and Clarias gariepinus: production improvement pathways.

These technologies/innovations will be validated by the Innovation platforms and disseminated to a larger number of beneficiaries during the next quarters of the year.

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Figure 7. Successive stocking of fish pond with 2 months-intervals.

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Figure 8. Co-culture of Clarias gariepinus and Oreochromis niloticus in Oeme Valley, Benin.

Result 2. Strategic options for policy making

A Strategic options for policy to address two major constraints (access to fund and to land) of family fish farmers is under development:

  • Environmental assessment of the ecological intensified extensive fish farming systems using the “Life cycle analysis”. The result of this analysis will serve for getting a certificate of environmental conformity and elaborating an advocacy paper (policy brief) in order to increase the access of funding.
  • Improving land security and sustainable management of extensive family fish farms. The result of this analysis will serve for elaborating an advocacy paper (policy brief) in order to secure the fish ponds established in inland valleys. Notice that inland valleys are more and more used for rice growing rather than to fish farming.

Result 3. Capacity strengthening

Capacities of twenty two (22) young scientists (PhD, MSc & BSc), including 3 women, in research and development for improving the productivity extensive family fish farming systems, strengthened (Annex 1).

Result 4. Knowledge management

  • A regional synthesis of extensive family fish farming systems, based on review of literature and qualitative and quantitative surveys, is under development.
  • Four (4) brochures for the dissemination of the technologies/innovations demonstrated are under development.