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Community-based Fish Culture in Seasonal

Floodplains

Natasja Sheriff

WorldFish Center

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Community-Based Fish Culture

Assumption that seasonally flooding areas can be communally managed for increased fish production during

the flood season

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Seasonal Flooding of Rice Fields

Dry Season – rice fields – individual

Flood season – fisheries – open access

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Nov – Jan/ FebJune - Dec

WinterApril - May

Photos: MC Hong

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Benefits observed:

• 10% lower cost of rice production

• Net returns from fish production of $220-400 per ha

• No reduction in the wild fish catch

Knowledge Gap:

Understanding the options for community-based fish culture in other social and environmental contexts

Fish and Rice in Flood-prone EcosystemsVietnam/Bangladesh

Previous work......

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Aims

Enhance fish production in seasonal floodplains to improve well-being of rural households in seasonally flooding areas

Promote efficient and equitable use of floodplain resources in the context of floodplain development

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Project Implementation

• 2005-2010

• 3 basins: Indus-Ganges, Mekong, Niger

• Action research

• 5 countries

• Local NARES partners

• Adaptive management approach

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China – Jiangsu Province2 sites

e.g. Liang Zhuang villageIrrigation canals

Individual caretakerCarps incl. Grass carp

2.4ha11 months stocking

36 HH

China – Yunnan Province2 project cites

Flooded Rice nurseriesIndividual Caretaker

6-10 haCarps incl. Grass carps

6 months stocking – low temp.

Vietnam –Mekong Delta10 project sites7 discontinued

Flooded, bunded rice fields20-100ha

Approx. 30 HH per site5 months stocking

Mali

China

VietnamCambodia

Bangladesh

Southeast Cambodia4 sites

2 sites discontinuedFlooded rice fields and reservoirs

c. 10ha10 HH

Mali – Niger Inner Delta2 project sites

Floodplain depressions (‘mares‘)c. 100 ha

80-100 HH4 months stocking

Bangladesh3 sites

Flooded rice fieldsGovernment leased land and

private land30-40ha

c. 150HH per siteMultiple villages

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Success variable in different countriesDiscontinuance and conflict

Complexity of benefit sharing

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Research Questions

What is the contribution of collective approaches to aquaculture for sustainable development of floodplain resources and irrigation systems?

What are the most appropriate models for collective aquaculture under different socio-ecological contexts?

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Conditions supporting and

constraining collective

approaches

Livelihood profile

Power -Influence

Institutions

Socio-cultural

Historical-political

Social

Ecological

Economic

Socio-ecological

context

Participant expectations

Incentives & motivation

Discontinuance analysis

Process & implementation

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The importance of Context

• Need to consider development of community-based approaches within a continuum, influenced by: The PAST - socio-political and historical

context, The PRESENT - present policies and current

situation The FUTURE – development trajectories

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The Importance of Context – Vietnam

The past

• History of collectivization• Agricultural cooperatives• Displacement and war

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The Present Context

• Daily realities Global drivers

• Incentives and motivation

• Social cohesion vs local conflicts

• Policies and government preferences

• The pursuit of solidarity• The role of individuals

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• Floodplain development• Policies for economic

development – – Reduction in fisheries– Movement of fishers into

industry– Increased

commercialization• How equitable and appropriate

is community-based aquaculture in this context?

Construction of Pangasius ponds, Dong Thap province, Vietnam

The Future

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Conditions for collective approach to aquaculture – initial observations

Small group size (c. 10 HH)Small culture area (2-3 rice fields)2 rice crops – deep flooding area

Supportive local authoritiesStrong group leadership

+ve

Land not available for use during flooding

Remote from urban centers

Strong livelihood incentives

Competition for land and water use with other more valuable

/political crops i.e.riceLarge water bodies with

large numbers of surrounding communities

-ve

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Lessons Learned – Understanding Context

Need to understand context• Historical and social context in

commons and collective action literature (Agrawal 2002)

• Local conditions

• Caution in out-scaling

Community-based approaches to aquaculture – complex and resource intensive

• Time and resource intensive• Institutions cannot be created• Community-based management -

complex. Appropriate?

Need for effective M&E• Flexibility for responsiveness,

adaptation and learning

Still learning.....• ……

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On-going work

• Contextual analysis• Incentive and Discontinuance Analysis• Power and influence• Access and rights• Alternative models of collective action• Landscape level analysis of floodplains as multiple use system• Livelihood contribution of CBA • Evolution and adaptation of culture systems• Alternative M&E

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Thank you