A strategic assessment of warm-water fish farming potential in Africa
No hay miniatura disponible
Fecha
Autores
Título de la revista
ISSN de la revista
Título del volumen
Editor
Resumen
Descripción
Aquaculture in Africa is in its beginning stages in terms of output. Estimates of fish farming potential have not yet been made in a comparable or comprehensive way for the continent or its regions even though this information is needed for development planning. This study is a strategic assessment of the areal expanses and locations encompassing suitable to optimum potential for subsistence and commercial warm water fish farming in ponds. Three temperature regimes were specified using the Nil e tilapia as a model. These corresponded to one or two crops per year with growth ranging from fair to good while at the same time ensuring over-wintering without special precautions. In concert with each temperature regime, subsistence fish farming potential was assessed on the basis of availability of surface water for storage in ponds, suitability of topography and soil texture for pond construction, availability and variety of agricultural by-products as inputs, and local market potential. F or commercial farming two criteria were added: perennial streams and rivers as independent or supplementary sources of water and availability of paved and motorable roads. Thresholds were established for each criterion corresponding to optimum, suitable and marginal conditions. A geographic information system (GIS) was used to evaluate the criteria on 10 minute (18 km × 18 km) grids and by country boundaries. In all, there are some 9.2 million km2, equivalent to 31% of the African surface, con taining areas suitable for warm water fish farming at a subsistence level. The corresponding results for commercial fish farming indicate that there are 3.9 million km2, equivalent to 13% of the African surface, encompassing area potentially suitable for warm water fish farming. Of the 48 countries included in this study, 40 possess at least some land suitable for subsistence and commercial warm water fish farming.