Project for Optimisation of Nutrient Dynamics and Animals for Integrated Farming
EU/INCO/DEV
(ICA4-CT-2001-10026).
Acronym
POND
Start & end date
01-01-2002 to 2007
Funding & funded by
1/ European Commission
2/ INREF, Wageningen University
Objectives
Contribute to the development of more sustainable integrated agriculture-aquaculture farming systems (IAAS) with the aim to improve farm household livelihood.
Summary
The research focussed on fish selection, nutrient dynamics and the role of fish ponds in existing farming systems through a concerted effort by various PhD students.
Results
Some of the POND-LIVE projects were highly successful in establishing linkages between the various levels of production systems, mainly due to a better embedding in the farmers’ context and more frequent exchange of experience throughout the project. We recommend future projects to aim to contribute to the development of farming systems by involving stakeholders in defining the problems and in the identification of solutions.
To improve the contribution of aquaculture to poverty alleviation, fishes need to be selectively bred in low-input environments and the pond management needs to be based on the paradigm: “feed the pond to grow fish”. IAA farming systems deserve the support of research and extension in order to maintain their shock absorbing character, important for both social and economic sustainability. In particular, the medium sized mixed farms showed a high potential to reduce environmental impact and to contribute to ecological sustainability. The management of Integrated Agriculture Aquaculture farming systems requires a high level of farmers’ know-how that can be generated through a holistic approach to research and extension
AFI Staff involved
Marc Verdegem, Roel Bosma, Johan Verreth
Grade of Involvement
Coordinator
Cooperation Partners
· WU Animal Production Systems
· WU Animal Breeding & Genetics
· WU Soil Inventarisation and Land Evaluation
· WorldFish Center
· Stirling University
· Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) in Bangkok
· Sisaket College of Agriculture and Technology in Thailand
· Bangladesh Agriculture University in Mymensingh
· Can Tho University, Vietnam.
Publications (selected)
Fishponds in farming systems, 2007. edited by: A.J. van der Zijpp, J.A.J. Verreth, Le Quang Tri, M.E.F. van Mensvoort, R.H. Bosma and M.C.M. Beveridge ; ISBN 978-90-8686-013-5 ; 312 pages.