Managing Aquatic Agricultural Systems to Improve Nutrition and Livelihoods in Selected Asian and African Countries: Scaling Learning from IFAD-WorldFish Collaboration in Bangladesh

Over the past decade, Cambodia has enjoyed strong economic growth resulting in improved livelihoods for its population of 16 million (UNDP 2015). Despite significant progress, however, 4.8 million Cambodians remain poor, with 90% living in rural areas. Subsistence farmers, members of poor fishing communities, landless people and rural youth comprise the majority of Cambodia’s poor (IFAD 2015). Generally, this demographic does not have enough food to eat for the whole year, dietary diversity is low and malnutrition remains high among children under 5 years of age. Fish is an integral part of Cambodia’s culture, economy and food security, contributing around 7% to national GDP and supplying 66.3% of households’ animal protein intake (FAO 2011). Yet, the diet of many rural Cambodians remains heavily dependent on the staple food, rice, and dietary diversity is low. Increasing fish production and productivity, and in particular of small indigenous fish species, using the integrated aquaculture/agriculture nutrition linkages approach can provide smallholder households with increased income and support food and nutrition security. Household aquaculture ponds stocked with both larger, marketable fish and small, nutrient-rich fish species can be managed with limited inputs to generate extra income for households and provide additional nutrient-rich food to households over an extended period of the year. In addition, ponds can be integrated into the smallholder’s farming system, providing water for homestead vegetable production on pond embankments. This integrated approach has the potential to help address the constraints faced by many rural Cambodians and improve livelihoods and nutritional outcomes.

Nutrition and Livelihoods in selected Asian and African Countries: Scaling up Learning from IFAD-WorldFish Collaboration in Bangladesh, which is being implemented in Cambodia, Zambia, Indonesia and Thailand. It builds on the successes and lessons learned from the WorldFish project Linking Fisheries and Nutrition: Promoting Innovative Fish Production Technologies in Ponds and Wetlands with Nutrient-Rich Small Fish Species in Bangladesh (2010–2013), which developed the aquaculture/agriculture nutrition linkages approach. Small Fish for Nutrition uses a “family approach,” engaging both men and women in agricultural production. Using a combination of innovative fish and vegetable production technologies and behavior change communication methods and tools, the project works to increase household income as well as accessibility and consumption of nutrient-rich small fish and vegetables, at the community, household and individual level. The project plans to scale up the integrated aquaculture/agriculture nutrition linkages approach targeting 300 households in Pursat, Battambang and Siem Reap provinces within 3 years.