Identifying suitable carp and prawn nursing practices under changing environmental cycle and developing their business model by linking with market and farmers

Abstract

The coastal zone of southwest Bangladesh, endowed with diverse resources, bears a significant scope in ensuring security of food and livelihood of the coastal poor people. However, the region is highly prone to adverse weather events and environmental changes leading to vulnerability in the agricultural production as well as food security, and livelihood of the people. The uncertainties of the weather and environmental events in the coastal region often affect the potential aquaculture inputs producing industries like fish seeds. Thus, sustaining the farming presents many challenges as the lack of quality seed frequently renders the families unable maintain production. Under these circumstances, it is imperative that the farmers adapt to the changes and try to adjust their farming management, especially that of fish seeds. Considering the aforementioned situation where carp and prawn farming make up the main aquaculture system in coastal zone, the study was conducted to characterize the present nursing practices of prawn and carp seed and the farmers' adaptation capacity to environmental challenges. The study will also assess the advance nursing models introduced by IFSL along the adaptability against the weather and environmental challenges, and a simplified business model that can help extend the recommended technology prefereably through the market actors.