Aquaculture options for alternative livelihoods: Experience from the Agriculture and Nutrition Extension Project in Bangladesh and Nepal

Abstract

Following two decades of work on aquaculture technologies for smallholder farmers, WorldFish is leading the aquaculture component of the Agriculture and Nutrition Extension Project (ANEP), targeting poor farmers in Bangladesh and Nepal.The main goal of ANEP aquaculture component was to increase fish production, household nutrition, incomes and alternative employment opportunities for smallholders by facilitating the adoption of productive and environmentally sustainable agricultural technologies. A total of 1909 poor households in Bangladesh and 603 in Nepal were direct beneficiaries of the project. The project started its work on 17 December 2011 and was completed on 16 December 2014. ANEP increased the average income of participating households in Bangladesh and Nepal.