Environment and sustainability

Global population is forecast to reach around 9 billion by 2050. To feed the world, global agricultural output must increase by around 60% from present levels. This must be achieved against a background of increasing competition for natural resources such as water, feed ingredients and farming sites.

Maintaining environmental integrity while massively increasing food production will require farming systems to reduce their unit production environmental footprint. Many farming practices that are regarded as sustainable today will not be acceptable when scaled up. Sustainable intensification of aquaculture means doing more with less. The Sustainable Farming Systems Programme aims to help aquaculture become a more efficient user of natural resources, both in terms of farm productivity and environmental efficiency.

The programme develops better management practices for major aquaculture farming systems, and promotes aquaculture as a secondary or additional use of water resources. The programme focusses on practical interventions that can be directly achieved by small-scale farmers in a developing country context.

Key activities

Key activities of the programme are:

  • Development of better management practices for key aquaculture production systems.
  • Organising small-scale farmers into associations to facilitate cluster-based approaches to extension.
  • Development of culture-based fisheries as a secondary use of water bodies.
  • Development of strategic policy frameworks to guide governments and development agencies in promoting sustainable intensification of aquaculture.

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Subject tags

A collection of subject tags relating to technical matters.

In this collection

Risks associated with culture-based fisheries and their management

A discussion of risk management in the context of culture-based fisheries.

Entrepreneurship plan prepared for the development of culture-based fisheries in Ellewewa reservoir, Sri Lanka

How an entrepreneurship plan facilitated the development of culture-based Fisheries in a Sri Lankan reservoir.

Legal and policy framework for culture-based fisheries development

A discussion of the governance issues relevant to culture-based fisheries at local community, provincial and national levels.

Community consultation in culture-based fisheries

People-oriented approaches for engaging communities in culture-based fisheries development.

Multiple use of water resources in culture-based fisheries

Harmonising culture-based fisheries with other users and uses of water resources.

Species selection in culture-based fisheries

A technical presentation on selection of appropriate species in culture-based fisheries.

Assessment of production potential

A presentation on technical assessment of water bodies for culture-based fisheries production potential.

Culture-based fisheries experiences, practices and constraints in Vietnam

A presentation on the current state of culture-based fisheries practices in Vietnam.

CBF experiences, current practices and constraints in China

A presentation on the current state of culture-based fisheries practices in China.

Culture-based fisheries: What, why, where and how?

A briefing on the context and relevance of culture-based fisheries in rural development.