Resource information
Living aquatic resources play a fundamental role in sustaining the livelihoods of many of the rural poor in Asia, providing crucial buffers to shock and food insecurity, and offering opportunities for diverse and flexible forms of income generation. As with any production-based intervention, the poorest groups face significant constraints to entry into aquaculture. However, aquaculture offers many opportunities for livelihood benefits that other sectors do not. Aquaculture technologies appropriate for poor people are now largely in place. Emphasis must therefore be given to more effective extension of low-cost technologies, appropriate management practices and securing rights of access and control, rather than technical research. This report provides a background to the issues of focusing aquaculture on poverty alleviation based on the conclusions of an expert consultation which was organized in order to provide field-level professionals in Asia with a unique opportunity to come together to share experiences on working in the field of poverty alleviation and aquaculture, and to prepare a platform for future networking.
