GIS mapping of pond aquaculture potential in southern Malawi, Africa

Abstract

Smallholding aquaculture in Malawi is gaining popularity, particularly with the promotion of pond-fish culture within integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) systems. These systems benefit poor farm households through enhancing food security and supplementing farm income. Location-specific successes of IAA need to be out-scaled to benefit more farm households. However conditions favoring adoption do not occur uniformly over geographical space. GIS modeling techniques were used to identify and map the potential for smallholding pond aquaculture systems to aid aquaculture planning and management.