WorldFish Digital Repository
WorldFish research is regarded as international public goods, and we are committed to the widespread dissemination of all our information products. One of the organizational objectives of WorldFish is to make all of its products open. This is in line with both the Center’s Research Data Management and Open Access Policy and the CGIAR Open Access and Data Management Policy. Opening our research, including publications, data and tools, ensures that more people can read and apply our research findings, thereby increasing the efficiency, reach and impact of our work.
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The CGIAR Initiative on Aquatic Foods aimed to build the resilience of aquatic food systems and unlock their full potential by scaling research and innovations. Working closely with research partners in fisheries and aquaculture, civil society, industry, and governments, the Initiative contributed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from the production of aquatic foods, and enhance ecological and social resilience through development and dissemination of improved fish strains, better management practices, integrated fish-rice production systems, and fish-friendly irrigation systems.
The Apatani community in Arunachal Pradesh, India has long practiced rice-fish coculture, integrating rice cultivation with fish farming to enhance food security and promote environmental sustainability. This traditional method utilizes the region’s wet rice terraces, allowing for the simultaneous production of rice and fish, contributing to efficient land and water resource utilization. Despite the organic nature of this practice, challenges such as suboptimal input distribution, inappropriate combinations of rice and fish species, and limited access to training have hindered productivity. The overall average yields of 1389 kg/ha for rice and 209 kg/ha for fish, indicating room for improvement. This study focused on optimizing resource utilization and fund allocation among Apatani farmers in Ziro Valley to address these issues. Data were collected from a random sample of 200 farmers across the valley. Using Cobb-Douglas production functions, researchers estimated rice and fish yields through regression models. Subsequently, a non-linear constrained optimization problem based on the Nash-bargaining framework was solved to assess the effects of optimization on fund allocation for various inputs. The findings revealed that rice and fish yields could potentially exceed 2000 kg/ha and 300 kg/ha, respectively, with proper resource management. Critical factors identified for enhancing productivity included using mixed manure and stocking fingerlings. Moreover, improving farmers’ technical knowledge and skills through institutional support and policy interventions was deemed vital for establishing rice-fish coculture as a sustainable livelihood in Ziro Valley. In conclusion, while the Apatani community’s traditional rice-fish coculture system offers a foundation for sustainable agriculture, targeted optimization of resource utilization, combined with enhanced training and institutional support, is essential to realize its full potential in improving productivity and ensuring long-term sustainability.
In recognition of its essential role in healthy diets, Cambodia has included fish in its newly launched Third National Strategy for Food Security and Nutrition (2024–2028). The strategy, spearheaded by the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD), aims to boost food security, nutrition outcomes, and resilience nationwide. Speaking at the strategy’s official launch on 10 April 2025, Dr. Ouk Rabun, Senior Minister and Chairman of CARD, acknowledged the crucial role played by WorldFish and other key development partners, highlighting their contributions in shaping the strategic direction for Cambodia’s nutrition and food security future.
Maximizing shrimp yield necessitates the efficient utilization of key inputs to enhance technical efficiency and overall production performance. This study employs Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with a double-bootstrap procedure to derive statistically robust efficiency estimates. Using cross-section data of 256 semi-intensive whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farms in Tamil Nadu, India, the study shows that most farms operate below the production frontier with an average technical efficiency score of bias-corrected, radial, and non-radial measures equivalent to 0.57, 0.60, and 0.38, respectively. Notable inefficiencies in input utilization underscore the need for targeted interventions to refine resource allocation strategies. The divergence between radial and non-radial efficiency scores suggests that while overall input use is relatively efficient, further optimization in specific resource management practices is required. The determinants of technical efficiency scores are farm size, stocking density, culture duration, and specific growth rate, all exerting statistically significant positive effects on shrimp yield. Findings highlight the critical role of strategic resource allocation to enhance farm performance by improving productivity, which helps ensure the long-term viability of shrimp aquaculture.
This insight brief captures the learnings from the knowledge exchange session held at the Asia–Africa BlueTech Superhighway (AABS) inception workshop, hosted by WorldFish from 9-12 October 2023, in Penang, Malaysia. The inception workshop brought together over 70 experts and scientists from 27 collaborators, partners and potential partners in participatory discussions to give shape to Phase 1 of AABS (2023-2027) to be implemented in Bangladesh, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania.
The AABS work package two (WP2) executed the socioeconomic and environmental baseline survey
study in Nigeria with the main objective of documenting the coastal aquaculture farmers in Nigeria
socioeconomic. This baseline study provides a snapshot of the community's social, economic,
environmental, and cultural characteristics, which serves as a reference point to measure changes and
impacts resulting from IMTA implementation.
In this study we identified key socioeconomic and environmental indicators. These indicators include
income levels, education, health, gender dynamics, cultural practices, land ownership, livelihoods,
infrastructure and service. Establishing a robust socioeconomic and environmental baseline helps in
designing context-specific interventions, predicting potential challenges, and identifying key
interventions that could promote the adoption and growth of IMTA in Nigeria.
In June 2024 Simply Solar conducted an assessment visit to stakeholders and installations in coastal fisheries in Kenya. Aim was the identification and review of existing technologies in the fish industry: for processing (thermal processing) and cooling at the project locations. This review shall help understand what is already available at the project's sites and the technological gaps that can be quickly filled with existing options.
West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh, known as the "Rice Bowl of India “produces nearly half of
the state’s rice, making it a key region for India’s food security. Alongside rice, it also hosts the
country’s most commercially productive freshwater aquaculture, primarily focused on Indian major
carps like Rohu and Catla. Under the Andhra Pradesh Community Managed Natural Farming
(APCNF) program, efforts were initiated to transition from rice monoculture (RM) to a more integrated
and ecologically beneficial model Integrated Rice-Fish Farming (IRFF). This involves co-cultivation of
rice and fish using natural farming practices, with a focus on local rice varieties and species like Rohu,
Catla, and Mola.
This report provides valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders seeking to support the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the aquatic food sector in Southern Africa. The report highlights the importance of targeted capacity-building programs in addressing the specific needs of SMEs to enhance their capacity to deliver nutrient-dense aquatic foods to address household food and nutritional insecurity and in turn promote sustainable development in the region.
This insight brief captures the learnings from the knowledge exchange session held at the Asia–Africa BlueTech Superhighway (AABS) inception workshop, hosted by WorldFish from 9-12 October 2023, in Penang, Malaysia. The inception workshop brought together over 70 experts and scientists from 27 collaborators, partners and potential partners in participatory discussions to give shape to Phase 1 of AABS (2023-2027) to be implemented in Bangladesh, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria and Tanzania.
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