NORMATIVE FRAMEWORK

TELEFOOD SPECIAL FUND PROJECT FORMAT

"Simple Fish Hatcheries and Nurseries"

Target group
The primary beneficiaries will be rural farmers or rural communities already involved in aquaculture production and having ponds that can be dedicated to fingerling production. Due to the relatively low investment cost of the simpler approach, the project should not be restricted to a single farmer, but should include a selection of several farmers which would also stimulate competition. Secondary beneficiaries will be the farmers involved in aquaculture production and the local communities using fingerlings for stocking small water bodies.

Background and justification
The privatization of fingerling production has been recognized as a necessary step to facilitate rapid development of aquaculture. In a scenario in which governments are reducing their interventions to provide inputs/services to farmers, it is important to create incentives for transfer of the role of provider of support to aquaculture development to the private sector. Fry/fingerling production is one of the identified bottlenecks for increasing aquaculture production. Moving from a situation with few governmental hatcheries with difficulties to operate, to a situation in which a network of entrepreneurs assures the fry/fingerling supply not only will remove the bottleneck but will also convince more farmers and entrepreneurs to invest in aquaculture.

Objectives
This model is designed to assist farmers in rural communities (either individually or in association) to become fingerlings producers to sell fish to other farmers or to stock communal ponds or small reservoirs. Preference will be given to production of fingerlings of local species, to be selected by local aquaculture services and communities, which could breed in ponds without need for hormone induction, such as tilapias or common carp (with the use of kakabans).

Simple hatchery design for Asian carps requiring hormone induction for breeding could also be considered in the case of developing countries in Asia, where such models already exist.

Duration of the project
The typical duration is variable, but it can be estimated between the six months and one year in the more complex case of the carp hatcheries using induced breeding techniques.

Outputs
The immediate benefit for the rural communities will be the local availability of fingerlings for stocking and the facilitation of transport arrangement not having to depend on Government stations. If the model proliferates in the region the risk of problem with fingerling supply will decrease and the cost of the fish fingerlings will diminish due to the competition amongst producers.

Activities
Activities would include in the first place, the selection and training of the direct beneficiaries which should be done by the local extension agents on the basis of the availability of ponds and potentials users of the seed to be produced which will require also a discussion with the communities. This initial activities will be followed by the procurement of the necessary input and supervision of the work of the beneficiaries by the extension agents, including the preparation of the broodstock ponds, collection of seed and weaning of fry and assistance in propagating the news about the availability of fry/fingerling producer. Collection of data to prepare a brief cost-benefit analysis of the pre and post-project situations will also be part of the project.

In the case of the small-scale hatcheries using induced-breeding techniques, assistance to the construction of the tanks and manipulation of the broodstock should also be provided by government officers.

Linkages with other (FAO) projects
This prototype project could be linked with the fisheries "Enhancement in Small Water Bodies" prototype in the areas where difficulties for procurement of wild fry would be encountered. It could be also linked with projects involved in rice farming as fry could be used to promote rice-cum-fish culture, or linked as a final stage with projects in which small livestock in pens is reared as those pens could be integrated with broodstock or fingerling ponds to fertilize the water.

Inputs/Budget

Infrastructure: In the simpler case of species breeding without induction the project will finance pond improvement (earthwork movement cost) to facilitate the collection of the fry and separate holding facilities to stock fry in hapas for weaning and prior to transport. The cost per individual involved in the project could be estimated at US$300 to $700. In the case of the variant for Asian countries, the infrastructure involves a shed with concrete floor, a tubewell, water tower and tank, and tanks for broodstock holding and for larvae/fry storage. The estimated cost for the infrastructure should be in a range between US$3,000 to $5,000.

Equipment: The equipment required for the first case of the simpler hatcheries includes tubs, barrels, hapa nets, transport tanks (plastic containers 20-80 l, or larger wooden containers 500-1000l with aerators), dipnets, manuals, feeds and fertilizers, and chemicals. Estimated cost per beneficiary should be US$600 to $1,700.

For the carp hatcheries using induced-breeding techniques, equipment requirements and consumables include a pump, a small generator, clay jars for egg incubation, a table, jars, syringes, hand nets, screens for jars, hormones, either in the form of carp pituitaries or HCG, chemicals for broodstock, egg and larval treatment and transport tanks for the fry produced. The cost of these items vary from country to country but for a hatchery which could produce about 10 million carp spawn would be in a range between US$3,500 and US$5,000.

Operation: The costs involved in the operation include the rental of a vehicle for the transport of seed which could be estimated at US$200 to $300.

Monitoring and Reporting
The national implementing agency will be responsible for providing FAO with quarterly and final reports in an agreed format. The FAO Representation will be responsible for monitoring the progress of the project and ensuring, through independent audit, that the funds are used correctly. Specific support will be carried out by the extension agents who should prepare a baseline report and a report of progress before the preparation of a terminal report, including a brief cost benefit assessment. The monitoring of the phase in which manipulation of broodstock and care of the larval and fry stages in carried out will require an almost constant presence of extension agents.