Dataset of production characteristics and performance of small-scale carp aquaculture systems in Bangladesh

Abstract

Small-scale inland aquaculture plays a critical role in livelihoods, food security, and nutrition across low- and middle-income countries, yet its contribution and performance remain poorly understood due to the lack of fine-grained, system-level data. This paper presents a scalable data infrastructure and analytical framework for the systematic characterization of small-scale aquaculture systems, first implemented for carp-based aquaculture in Bangladesh. The framework integrates a modular household survey design, robust multi-stage sampling and triangulation procedures, geospatial suitability analysis, and standardized indicators covering production practices, socioeconomic performance, food security, poverty, and environmental outcomes.

Using in-person surveys of 4,540 small-scale carp producers across 54 upazilas nationwide, the resulting dataset captures substantial heterogeneity in production systems, intensification levels, livelihood outcomes, and vulnerability to climatic and economic shocks. The data enable the construction of comparable indicators for income, multidimensional poverty, dietary diversity, and environmental performance, and are suitable for applications ranging from policy analysis and intervention targeting to life cycle assessment and food system modeling.

By addressing a major structural data gap in small-scale aquaculture, this data infrastructure provides a transferable foundation for evidence-based decision-making, impact assessment, and the design of context-specific interventions. While demonstrated in Bangladesh, the framework is designed for replication across species, production systems, and geographic contexts, supporting more effective and inclusive aquatic food system transformation globally.