Mid-project evaluation of the fish production system development project

Special evaluation covers the period 6/79-5/82 and is based on site visits and interviews with Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) officials and other project personnel and with fish farmers. Although the project is a year behind schedule due to delays in start-up and staffing and time lost in unsuccessful negotiations to acquire a fingerling production site, significant progress has been. An Inland Fishery Unit (IFU) has been established in the MOA; 450 tilapia farms are operating with over 200 acres of ponds in production (18% of target), with construction of 200 more acres to begin as soon as technical staff and construction teams are available; and 1.2 million fingerlings and 230,000 lbs. of fish are being produced annually (9% and 4% of target, respectively.) Nonetheless, the IFU is only 63% staffed and only 56% of extensionists have been trained. Extensionist training was curtailed by the closing of the Jamaican School of Agriculture and the lack of qualified professors at the University of the West Indies; some personnel who were trained left the project for more attractive private sector positions. Due to the shortfall in extensionists, only 450 of 920 planned farmers have been trained. Extension activities were further hampered by a delay in delivering vehicles and trail bikes. Achievement of project goals is unlikely unless drastic measures are taken to recruit and retain extensionists. IFU's tilapia research projects have been well designed and conducted, but analysis of results has been slow. The IFU production system will be unable to supply the number of fingerlings needed by the increasing number of small-scale fish farmers; alternative fingerling sources are being considered. The profitability of fish farming has proven to be as high or higher than expected. General recommendations are made to redress the constraints noted above, particularly as regards extension activities; 15 more specific recommendations are also made. It is further recommended to extend the project 1 year and to develop a new project to continue extension services and farmer training for 3-5 years and maintain a modest research capability to solve production problems and test new culture methods.