February 15-18, 2009 Washington State Convention Center Seattle ...

OUTREACH, ACCEPTANCE, AND SUCCESS OF POND AQUACULTURE IN PROMOTING
RURAL ECONOMY AND SOCIAL STABILITY
James S. Diana
School of Natural Resources and Environment
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1041 USA
jimd@umich.edu
Aquaculture has importance in promoting a rural economy and social stability in developing nations. The great majority of
the world’s aquaculture production comes from developing nations in Asia, where seafood production is important to both the
economy and local consumption. While export of seafood generated $42 billion for developing countries in 2006, still 75%
of all harvested seafood products were consumed in country. Aquaculture, which produced nearly 50% of the seafood harvest
for human consumption, is also important in both economic development as well as local consumption. The purpose of this
presentation is to review impacts of three aquaculture systems on social stability and rural economy in Thailand.
The first case, for prawn farming in Thailand, is focused on a local production system used to produce income. Prawn farming
in Thailand is mainly done to supply a local market; virtually none of the prawns are exported. Most farmer knowledge is
transmitted from farmer to farmer, with limited intervention of government or NGO extension agents. Prawn farmers generally
have small farms (averaging 6 ha), yet produce an income of about US $25,000 per year. They use intensive production with
aeration, frequent water exchange, and prepared feeds. While they have some problems in culture, 94% prefer prawn farming
to their former employment and all would like to make prawn farming more sustainable.
The second case is on tilapia farming in northeast Thailand as adoption of technology for increased food in the home. In this
case, considerable extension has been done to promote green pond (HiG) systems. Once again, farms were generally small (5
ha), with mixed farming of tilapia and other crops. Farmers mainly used tilapia to supplement their household consumption,
while some also sold surplus fish. People trained in HiG culture, or people who had been included in on-farm trials of HiG,
produced higher yields than those who learned of farming techniques from their neighbors. However, all groups valued their
fish farming activities and its contribution to their diet.
The final case focuses on shrimp farming and abandonment of shrimp ponds. Shrimp farmers mainly learn their techniques
from extension provided by CP, a feed company. Most farmers have a few ponds, lease their ponds, and grow shrimp for
export. Pond abandonment, due to disease or market failure, has been a big concern. However, only 14% of ponds had been
abandoned, while most were still in use for shrimp, polyculture, fish culture, or had been converted to housing. Farmers and
village leaders both agreed that shrimp farming has helped the local economy and provided jobs that are preferred over alternatives
of working in factories or salt farms, and they would like to see expansion of local jobs to keep families in their rural areas.
Shrimp farming has had a significant impact in the quality of life for rural farmers.
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