Fish production system development

Final PES covers the period 6/79-11/84 and is based on a special evaluation (PD-AAR-481). The project created a new industry in Jamaica, successfully transferring freshwater tilapia production technology and skills to a government research and extension agency and to private industry. The 360 participating farmers (as of 12/84) increased their incomes through tilapia production and sales. Domestic production should eventually reduce foreign exchange outflows for fresh fish. The project did not, however, succeed in establishing a regional fish production training program. It was found that: (1) the project was not a small farmer development project as planned, since many owners of small farms (1-5 acres) are also involved in several other business ventures; (2) targets for fish production were unrealistically high; (3) continued growth of the industry will require a steady supply of trained aquaculturalists as yet unavailable in Jamaica; (4) fish production may have exacerbated saltwater intrusion and shortages of fresh drinking water; (5) at least two large commercial operations have begun to use a tilapia farming technology that is potentially more productive than that used by the project; and (6) fish production in the southeastern parishes has exceeded the capacity of existing distribution and marketing channels. Lessons learned are: tilapia production has the potential to become viable in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries; specific plans must be developed to keep large farmers from controlling the industry; production is easier to set in motion than marketing; assumption of ready markets is the most common mistake in fish projects; new aquaculture technologies may appear constantly; universities" reliance on in-house expertise can lead to neglect of business aspects of a project; changes in project direction must include environmental reassessment; and host government commitment to sustain research and training must be obtained early and monitored continually. Future USAID/J support of aquaculture training through the Agro 21 Program is likely.