Sustainable intensification of genetically improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) in Timor-Leste's farming systems: Challenges and opportunities

CONTEXT: There is a growing appreciation of the role of aquaculture in improving food and nutrition security in Timor-Leste. The Timor-Leste government's National Aquaculture Development Strategy (NADS; 2012–30) envisions to increase domestic aquaculture production to 12,000 tons to achieve per capi...

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Main Authors: Pant, Jharendu, Teoh, Shwu Jiau, Gomes, Silvino, Pereira, Angelo, Pereira, Mario, De Jesus, Lucas Soares, Du Carmu, Adriano, Bhujel, Ram C
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140517
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author Pant, Jharendu
Teoh, Shwu Jiau
Gomes, Silvino
Pereira, Angelo
Pereira, Mario
De Jesus, Lucas Soares
Du Carmu, Adriano
Bhujel, Ram C
author_browse Bhujel, Ram C
De Jesus, Lucas Soares
Du Carmu, Adriano
Gomes, Silvino
Pant, Jharendu
Pereira, Angelo
Pereira, Mario
Teoh, Shwu Jiau
author_facet Pant, Jharendu
Teoh, Shwu Jiau
Gomes, Silvino
Pereira, Angelo
Pereira, Mario
De Jesus, Lucas Soares
Du Carmu, Adriano
Bhujel, Ram C
author_sort Pant, Jharendu
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description CONTEXT: There is a growing appreciation of the role of aquaculture in improving food and nutrition security in Timor-Leste. The Timor-Leste government's National Aquaculture Development Strategy (NADS; 2012–30) envisions to increase domestic aquaculture production to 12,000 tons to achieve per capita fish consumption of 15 kg annually by 2030. However, aquaculture development is constrained by limited access to quality seed, feed, and improved technologies. WorldFish has been collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries since 2015 to help realise the target. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to present step-wise interventions – Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) hatcheries establishment and monosex seed production and distribution; conduct of on-farm grow-out trials; training and capacity building; and extension, communication and marketing services - carried out, and demonstrate how availability, accessibility and consumption of fish could be increased sustainably in the subsistence farming systems of Timor-Leste. METHODS: Farmers' participatory grow-out trials following better management practices (BMPs) were conducted in two phases from 2015 to 2023 across ten farmers clusters in four municipalities in inlands. The trials in Phase 1 tested GIFT stocked at 3 fingerlings/m2 using green water in ponds and fed with locally made plant-based feed. In Phase 2, trials tested GIFT stocked at 5 fingerings/m2 with high quality imported pelleted feed supplemented with local feed and green water. To facilitate scaling, local service providers, feed importers and fish market operators were trained to facilitate input supply and output marketing. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In Phase-1, one existing public hatchery was upgraded for producing and supplying quality GIFT broodstock to private hatcheries and one private hatchery was established with public-private partnership (PPP) model. On-farm trials showed that farmers following BMPs and feeding with farm made feed achieved fish yield averaging 4.3 ± 1.5 t/ha/11 months production cycle. In Phase-2, PPP model hatcheries were established; nursery operators connected to each hatchery started nursing fry to fingerlings to local farmers. On-farm trials results managed by 169 farmers in 417 ponds during 2020–2022 showed fish yield of 12.4 ± 0.1 t/ha/ 6 month cycle with full BMPs, suggesting the viability of GIFT intensification across Timor-Leste. Continuous technical backstopping of public and private sectors, however, is crucial for scaling and sustainable intensification of aquaculture. SIGNIFICANCE: GIFT aquaculture development model of Timor-Leste has potential for scaling across the country for reducing peoples' malnutrition and poverty. The model can also potentially be replicated to other small island nations of the Asia-Pacific region and beyond.
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spelling CGSpace1405172025-10-26T13:01:01Z Sustainable intensification of genetically improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) in Timor-Leste's farming systems: Challenges and opportunities Pant, Jharendu Teoh, Shwu Jiau Gomes, Silvino Pereira, Angelo Pereira, Mario De Jesus, Lucas Soares Du Carmu, Adriano Bhujel, Ram C public-private partnerships timor-leste aquaculture development fish food and nutrition security genetically improved farmed tilapia participatory on-farm trial CONTEXT: There is a growing appreciation of the role of aquaculture in improving food and nutrition security in Timor-Leste. The Timor-Leste government's National Aquaculture Development Strategy (NADS; 2012–30) envisions to increase domestic aquaculture production to 12,000 tons to achieve per capita fish consumption of 15 kg annually by 2030. However, aquaculture development is constrained by limited access to quality seed, feed, and improved technologies. WorldFish has been collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries since 2015 to help realise the target. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to present step-wise interventions – Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) hatcheries establishment and monosex seed production and distribution; conduct of on-farm grow-out trials; training and capacity building; and extension, communication and marketing services - carried out, and demonstrate how availability, accessibility and consumption of fish could be increased sustainably in the subsistence farming systems of Timor-Leste. METHODS: Farmers' participatory grow-out trials following better management practices (BMPs) were conducted in two phases from 2015 to 2023 across ten farmers clusters in four municipalities in inlands. The trials in Phase 1 tested GIFT stocked at 3 fingerlings/m2 using green water in ponds and fed with locally made plant-based feed. In Phase 2, trials tested GIFT stocked at 5 fingerings/m2 with high quality imported pelleted feed supplemented with local feed and green water. To facilitate scaling, local service providers, feed importers and fish market operators were trained to facilitate input supply and output marketing. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In Phase-1, one existing public hatchery was upgraded for producing and supplying quality GIFT broodstock to private hatcheries and one private hatchery was established with public-private partnership (PPP) model. On-farm trials showed that farmers following BMPs and feeding with farm made feed achieved fish yield averaging 4.3 ± 1.5 t/ha/11 months production cycle. In Phase-2, PPP model hatcheries were established; nursery operators connected to each hatchery started nursing fry to fingerlings to local farmers. On-farm trials results managed by 169 farmers in 417 ponds during 2020–2022 showed fish yield of 12.4 ± 0.1 t/ha/ 6 month cycle with full BMPs, suggesting the viability of GIFT intensification across Timor-Leste. Continuous technical backstopping of public and private sectors, however, is crucial for scaling and sustainable intensification of aquaculture. SIGNIFICANCE: GIFT aquaculture development model of Timor-Leste has potential for scaling across the country for reducing peoples' malnutrition and poverty. The model can also potentially be replicated to other small island nations of the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. 2024-04 2024-03-19T18:36:24Z 2024-03-19T18:36:24Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140517 en Open Access application/pdf Elsevier Jharendu Pant, Shwu Jiau Teoh, Silvino Gomes, Angelo Pereira, Mario Pereira, Lucas Soares De Jesus, Adriano Du Carmu, Ram C Bhujel. (1/4/2024). Sustainable intensification of genetically improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) in Timor-Leste's farming systems: Challenges and opportunities. Agricultural Systems, 216.
spellingShingle public-private partnerships
timor-leste
aquaculture development
fish
food and nutrition security
genetically improved farmed tilapia
participatory on-farm trial
Pant, Jharendu
Teoh, Shwu Jiau
Gomes, Silvino
Pereira, Angelo
Pereira, Mario
De Jesus, Lucas Soares
Du Carmu, Adriano
Bhujel, Ram C
Sustainable intensification of genetically improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) in Timor-Leste's farming systems: Challenges and opportunities
title Sustainable intensification of genetically improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) in Timor-Leste's farming systems: Challenges and opportunities
title_full Sustainable intensification of genetically improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) in Timor-Leste's farming systems: Challenges and opportunities
title_fullStr Sustainable intensification of genetically improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) in Timor-Leste's farming systems: Challenges and opportunities
title_full_unstemmed Sustainable intensification of genetically improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) in Timor-Leste's farming systems: Challenges and opportunities
title_short Sustainable intensification of genetically improved farmed Tilapia (GIFT) in Timor-Leste's farming systems: Challenges and opportunities
title_sort sustainable intensification of genetically improved farmed tilapia gift in timor leste s farming systems challenges and opportunities
topic public-private partnerships
timor-leste
aquaculture development
fish
food and nutrition security
genetically improved farmed tilapia
participatory on-farm trial
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/140517
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