Fish polyculture system integrated with vegetable farming improves yield and economic benefits of small-scale farmers.

dc.creatorSamwel Mchele Limbu
dc.creatorAmon P., Shoko
dc.creatorHieromin Amon, Lamtane
dc.creatorMary Alphonce, Kishe-Machumu
dc.creatorMasanja Charles, Jorum
dc.creatorAthanasio S., Mbonde
dc.creatorHuruma Fredrick, Mgana
dc.creatorYunus Daud, Mgaya
dc.date2019-05-07T13:02:28Z
dc.date2019-05-07T13:02:28Z
dc.date2016-09-12
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-07T07:47:50Z
dc.date.available2021-05-07T07:47:50Z
dc.descriptionThis study explored the yield and economic benefits of African sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus, and Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus polyculture, reared in earthen ponds for 270 days integrated with Chinese cabbage, Brassica rapa chinensis, farmed for 45 days to small‐scale farmers in Tanzania. An integrated aquaculture–agriculture (IAA) system involving fishes and vegetables resulted in three and 2.5 times higher net yield than the culture of fishes alone and farming of non‐integrated vegetables respectively. Vegetables irrigated with pond water resulted in 1.8 times higher net and annual yields than those irrigated with stream water. The practice of fish–vegetable integration and growing of vegetables irrigated with pond water produced 14 and 13 times higher net annual yield, respectively, than the culture of fishes alone. The integrated system produced 20 and 150 times more net returns compared with vegetables irrigated with pond and stream water respectively. Integrating fishes with vegetables resulted in significantly higher annual net cash flow than the farming of fishes and vegetables separately. The study revealed that integrating fishes with B. rapa chinensis increases yields, income and food production to small‐scale farmers. Thus, small‐scale farmers can adopt IAA technology to meet the increasing demand of fish and vegetables, stabilize their incomes and diversify food production, consequently improving food security. These benefits will be realized by providing proper training in IAA technology and management skills to small‐scale farmers.
dc.descriptionThe Government of Republic of Tanzania through Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) under the ‘KILIMO KWANZA’ initiative
dc.identifierhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/5212
dc.identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1111/are.13188
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11810/5212
dc.publisherWiley
dc.subjectyield
dc.subjectfish culture
dc.subjectvegetable farming
dc.subjectintegrated aquaculture–agriculture
dc.subjectnet return
dc.subjectannual net cash flow
dc.titleFish polyculture system integrated with vegetable farming improves yield and economic benefits of small-scale farmers.
dc.typeJournal Article, Peer Reviewed

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