Abstract
This study was carried out to record the experiences of Gopi Krishna (GK) Aqua Farms, with special reference to feeding/fertilization methods, the production cycle and the farm's marketing/distribution strategy. GK Aqua Farms is situated in Chikwawa District, which is in the southern region of Malawi. 19 ha (47 acres) of its land is under water, about 12 ha (30 acres) of which is in an enclosed, fenced area, and the remaining 7 ha (17 acres) in an open, unfenced area. Since GK Aqua Farms started practicing on a commercial scale in November 2004, the business has promoted aquaculture within Malawi and has demonstrated its potential profitability by attaining gross margins of over K3 million (approximately US $21,430) after just one year. The farm raises three species of fish in a polyculture system; common carp (Cyprinus carpio), Tilapia rendalli and Oreochromis siranus. The fish are sold in Chikwawa District as well as in the neighbouring city of Blantyre. The fish are fed artificial diets and are stocked in ponds that are mainly fertilized with livestock manure. Partial harvests are carried out throughout the year, depending on consumer demand, with a complete harvest once a year. The fish are sold at a farm gate price of K400/kg (US $3/kg) for common carp and K250/kg (US $1.8/kg) for tilapia species and at a wholesale price of K500 (US $3.6/kg) for common carp and K300 (US $2.1/kg) for both tilapia species. Since it took over the farm in 2004, GK Aqua Farms has had a continuous rise in production from 4.2 tonnes per year in 2004 to 29.5 tonnes per year in 2008 with an expectation of similar increases over the next few years. The farm faces several problems including pests, inefficient feed supply and low sales during summer. The farm, however, does not operate any integrated aquaculture-agriculture systems.
LED Lighting and High-Density Planting Enhance the Cost-Efficiency of Halimione portulacoides Extraction Units for Integrated Aquaculture
