DEVELOPMENT OF THE AQUACULTURE COMPENDIUM

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

The Aquaculture Compendium is an encyclopedic, multimedia tool that brings together a wide range of different types of science-based information to support sound decision-making in aquaculture and aquatic resource management worldwide. It is comprised of information sourced from experts, edited and compiled by an independent scientific organization, and resourced by a diverse international Development Consortium. The datasheets are enhanced with data from specialist organizations, images, maps, a bibliographic database and full text articles. New datasheets and datasets continue to be added, reviewed and updated (Wikipedia, 2016).

Aquaculture compendium covers fish, molluscs, crustacea, algae and live feed culture in marine, brackish and freshwater environments, including: Production, health and husbandry/Engineering and technology/Economics, economic development and marketing/Environment/Governance, trade, legislation and social impact (Scott, 2003). Increasing pressure on wild capture fisheries from rising global demand for fish and other aquatic resources has resulted in moves to promote the potential of aquaculture, or fish farming. Aquaculture has the potential to improve socio-economic conditions and environmental sustainability, both in coastal settings and through preservation of wild fisheries and their associated ecosystems. Asia produced more than 90 per cent of all global aquaculture products as well as providing an important source of food security and dietary protein (Scott, 2003).

Despite this aquaculture is limited by a lack of knowledge and information. This is particularly the case in the areas of environmental management and sustainability. Knowledge about aquaculture in rural settings is also limited, including from a systems viewpoint. A recent study in Thailand where extension materials were disseminated after development through farmer participatory approaches led to significant yield increases. This shortfall in the knowledge base led to the development of aquaculture compendium (Scott, 2003). A substantial research knowledge base for rural aquaculture has been developed over the past few years. This knowledge suggests a yield gap between current and potential levels is real for smallholders. Poor knowledge about many areas of aquaculture is the reason, yet much of this knowledge is contained within the research knowledge base. Compendium Technology can be used to organize and present this knowledge to extension networks to help increase information and reduce the existing yield gap.

1.2   STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Aquaculture has great potential to improve socioeconomic conditions and environmental sustainability worldwide, but realization of this potential is severely hampered by a lack of relevant knowledge that can be applied to address these goals. The aquaculture compendium is being built to address these needs, and ultimately to contribute towards improving the sustainable livelihoods of people dependent on aquatic resources.

1.3   OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the objectives of this study:

1.  To provide an overview of the aquaculture compendium.

2.  To examine the process of development of the aquaculture compendium.

3.  To examine the benefits of the aquaculture compendium.

1.4   RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1.  What is the aquaculture compendium?

2.  What is the process of development of the aquaculture compendium?

3.  What are the benefits of the aquaculture compendium?

1.5   SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The following are the significance of this study:

1.  The outcome of this study will educate on the use of aquaculture compendium, its process of development and its benefits.

2.  This research will be a contribution to the body of literature in the area of the effect of personality trait on student’s academic performance, thereby constituting the empirical literature for future research in the subject area

1.6   SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study will cover the use of aquaculture compendium, its process of development and its benefits.

LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.