Sustainable Aquaculture for Small-scale Farmers: Need for a Balanced Model

1996 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Edwards ◽  
Harvey Demaine ◽  
Nick Innes-Taylor ◽  
Danai Turongruang
Keyword(s):  
Small Scale ◽  
Sustainable Aquaculture ◽  
Northeast Thailand ◽  
Resource Base ◽  
Sustainable Systems ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Balanced Model ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Farm Inputs

Relatively few small-scale farmers culture fish, even in Asia, as the gap between the traditional supply — wild fish — and the demand has begun to widen only relatively recently. Rapid human population growth, overfishing and environmental degradation are providing a stimulus for the growth of aquaculture but sustainable systems of production remain to be developed for most areas. A balanced model involving both on-farm and off-farm resources is required to promote aquaculture so that it can fulfil its potential and contribute significantly to people's welfare. Rising expectations and the poor resource base of most small-scale farms dictate the need to intensify nutrient flows and productivity through increased levels of off-farm inputs, as outlined here for resource-poor northeast Thailand.

scholarly journals MOTIVATIONS AND RESOURCES OF SMALL-SCALE FARMERS FOR STAYING IN THEIR VILLAGE IN NORTHEAST THAILAND

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Masatoshi Uehara
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Worth Living ◽  
Northeast Thailand ◽  
Simple Question ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Decision To Stay ◽  
Profit Maximisation ◽  
The Village

This study aims to examine one simple question: Why do some small-scale farmers in rural, northeast Thailand keep staying on in their villages despite the fact that they could earn a much higher income if they worked in urban areas? To answer this question, this study which is based on first-hand observations from nine years of intensive fieldwork in rural, northeast Thailand provides a detailed description of the small-scale farmers’ resources that enable them to sustain a living and also provides them motivations to stay in their village. The decision to stay on in the village and forgo the option to move out in pursuit of a higher income may seem irrational in the opinion of economists. However, the author, by employing the “capability approach” argument by A. Sen, argues that their behaviour could be understood as efforts of pursuing “lives worth living” (as expressed in his later work as an architect of the UN’s “human security” program) and not solely profit maximisation. Their efforts include establishing “community groups” and practising “sustainable agriculture” including “organic farming” and “integrated farming”. These activities are well-suited to their natural environments and economic conditions and, at the same time, give them autonomy in their villages.

Farming Meat Goats

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Vincent
Keyword(s):  
Small Scale ◽  
Identification System ◽  
Meat Industry ◽  
Feeding Condition ◽  
Goat Meat ◽  
Breeding Stock ◽  
Meat Goats ◽  
New Information ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
On Farm

Goat meat is growing in popularity in Australia and is also an important export industry. It offers many opportunities for large- and small-scale farmers who need to diversify or seek alternative enterprises. Farming Meat Goats provides producers with comprehensive and practical information on all aspects of the goat meat industry. It covers selecting and preparing a property, choosing breeding stock, breeding, health care and nutrition, drought feeding, condition scoring and marketing. This second edition of Farming Meat Goats has been updated throughout and contains new information about the National Livestock Identification System, current regulations for ovine Johne's disease and animal welfare during transportation, and information about marketing. It will allow farmers to produce animals to specification for targeted markets in Australia and overseas including: butchers; supermarkets; restaurants; on-farm live sales; sales to abattoirs that specialise in Halal kills; and breeding stock either as replacements or for improved herd genetics.

scholarly journals Identification of strategies for enhancing member commitment in Greek agricultural cooperatives: The opinion of cooperative experts

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. e3777
Author(s):  
Tilemachos Manousakis ◽  
Panagiota Sergaki ◽  
Gert Van Dijk
Keyword(s):  
Small Scale ◽  
Agricultural Cooperatives ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Quality Of Information ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Poor ◽  
Member Commitment ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Poor Management

In the era of globalization, where competition is growing intensively, the cooperation between small scale farmers can assist them to be sustainable and survive. However, the situation with cooperatives in Greece is found to be on a downward trend due to their poor economic performance, which is later expressed by the diminished commitment of their members. In order to address the described problem we employed a qualitative study consisted of 10 guided interviewees with “cooperative experts”. Through the interviews the participants were asked to clarify their opinions on two major themes: 1) Common Greek cooperative issues, and 2) Suggestions on strategies employed by cooperatives to enhance members’ commitment. Through our analysis we identified the issues related to the poor management of the cooperatives of the past as the major problems of cooperative in Greece. Regarding the strategies for enhancing commitment of members, the majority of participants highlighted the importance of improving the communication and quality of information provided by the coop to its members for building strong bond of trust and ultimately enhancing their commitment. Although, the improvement of communication takes time and requires consistent effort. Hence, cooperatives may act on employing the appropriate experts in order to improve their process of production and marketing. Strengthening the levels of expertise in the economic activities of the cooperative may assist on the satisfaction of members and enhance their commitment to the coop.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Farm Performance among Small-Scale Farmers in the Volcanic Highlands of Rwanda: What is the Role of Institutions?

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 262-268
Author(s):  
Aristide Maniriho ◽  
Edouard Musabanganji ◽  
Philippe Lebailly
Keyword(s):  
Land Tenure ◽  
Agricultural Development ◽  
Farm Income ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Extension Services ◽  
Farm Production ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Land Size ◽  
On Farm

This study attempted to examine the role of institutions in boosting rural and agricultural development in the region of the Volcanic Highlands of Rwanda. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from a random sample of 401 small-scale farmers through a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using a weighted least-squares method to account for heteroscedasticity, a common issue in cross-sectional studies. Results from crop output function reveal a positive and significant effect of cooperative membership, a negative but significant effect of extension services, and a negative non-significant effect of land tenure, credit access, and market access on farm production, respectively. In terms of net farm income function, the results demonstrate that farmer cooperation, land tenure, extension services, and access to output markets have a positive, non-significant influence, but that access to finance has a negative non-significant effect. Results also point to a positive and significant effect of some household characteristics, namely family size, farming experience, land size, and farm yield, on farm production. As for net farm income, education of the head, family size, farm experience, land size, farm yield, selling price, and cattle proved to be among primary determinants. It was therefore suggested that agricultural sector programs and activities should be readapted and strengthened in order to leverage rural and agricultural development in Rwanda.

scholarly journals Evaluating Constraints to Animal Traction Development and Sustainability in the Upper Noun Valley, North West Region Cameroon

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-63
Author(s):  
Nuipokoh Oscar Mboungho ◽  
Manu Ibrahim ◽  
Dongmo Solefack
Keyword(s):  
Small Scale ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
North West ◽  
Multi Stage ◽  
Community Data ◽  
The Government ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Sustainability Challenges ◽  
Sampling Procedures ◽  
On Farm

The principal aim of this study was to find out the reasons for the low adoption of animal traction in the Upper Noun Valley community. The general views were; to find out the level of animal traction adoption, to see its level of profitability, to examine its importance on agricultural sustainability and the overall constraints and benefits involved in animal traction. Combinations of multi-stage random and purposive sampling procedures were applied to obtain the needed information from oxen-farmers and institutions. A cross sectional data was collected and analysed from random sample of 90 oxen farmers within the Upper Noun Valley Community. Data were collected and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and Microsoft Excel. The study revealed that small-scale farmers encountered several sustainability challenges from inappropriate implements, pasture difficulty, lack of training and repair centres, poor animal housing. Animal traction sustainability depends on its; affordability, flexibility, timeliness on farm and organic manure provision. In order to overcome the alarming food insecurity in Cameroon, both the government and stakeholders should regain consciousness on abandoned training centres, and minimum packages should be given to small-scale farmer as well as local blacksmiths and veterinary centres be provided at the Divisional level.

scholarly journals Peat Land Oil Palm Farmers’ Direct and Indirect Benefits from Good Agriculture Practices

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 7843
Author(s):  
Abd Hair Awang ◽  
Iskandar Zainuddin Rela ◽  
Azlan Abas ◽  
Mohamad Arfan Johari ◽  
Mohammad Effendi Marzuki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Palm ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Indirect Benefits ◽  
Farm Performance ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
Direct And Indirect Benefits ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Economic Well Being

With economically unsustainable metroxylon sagu (sago palms) found in peat lands, small scale farmers are gradually converting their land to oil palm cultivation. Good agriculture practices (GAP) were inculcated to peat land farmers to ensure that the environmental ecosystem is conserved and oil palm productivity is enhanced, along with the farmer’s well-being. The present study examined the effect of GAP on farm performance and the perceived economic well-being of the peat land oil palm farmers. We interviewed randomly selected farmers with assistance from a locally trained native enumerator to complete the survey questionnaire. We conducted partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to incorporate direct and indirect benefits on farmers’ economic well-being to estimate the significance of GAP. The empirical results show that GAP have direct positive effects on farm performance. Such practices lead to significant positive impacts on the economic well-being of peat land oil palm farmers. This solid evidence makes it much easier for small-scale farmers to convert from conventional farming to environmentally friendly farming, and ensures safe and healthy oil palm cultivation.

scholarly journals On-farm conservation of potato landraces in Ecuador

2018 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 189-200
Author(s):  
Álvaro Monteros-Altamirano
Keyword(s):  
Elderly People ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
On Farm Conservation ◽  
The Past ◽  
Passport Data ◽  
Small Scale Farmers ◽  
On Farm ◽  
Conservation Interventions

Potato-landrace production systems have not been previously described in Ecuador. Accordingly, three areas of high potato diversity were identified using the passport data of samples collected during the 70s and 80s. Native potato diversity collected at these three locations during 2006-2008 was compared with the diversity at the same places approximately 30 years ago to determine the dynamics in the potato diversity. Additionally, potato-farmers growing landraces were interviewed and invited to local meetings to evaluate the vulnerability of their systems. When the earlier collections were compared with the 2006- 2008 collection, many landraces with new names were found. The low number of landraces common to the past and present collections might suggest that the sampling of local landraces was not exhaustive, both during the 1970s and 1980s and during the 2006-2008 collection trips. Mostly elderly people and small-scale farmers are currently maintaining potato landraces. Since farmers cannot live solely on the production of their farms, they look for income alternatives through migration. The vulnerability of the potato conservation varied between the study areas. External conservation interventions performed on-farm, such as diversity fairs or re-introduction of landraces, were highly appreciated by the farmers and could help preserve potato landraces.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document