SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION

SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION

Catfish production technique discussed in this manual is based and built upon the following principles for sustainable aquaculture, namely:

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Ø Farm management,

Ø Stock quality,

Ø Feed quality and quantity,

Ø Water quality,

Ø Cost of inputs, and

Ø Market

 

Sustainable aquaculture as applied in this technology package is “an adaptable aquaculture production technology system whose ecological and economic viability persists indefinitely”. Fishes are greatly affected by the environment in which they are grown. An aquatic ecosystem is extremely dynamic, changing with nutrient inputs, weather and season. The effects of the changes are even more pronounced in artificial systems (like fish farms) where man influences what organisms and other inputs that are added to the culture environment. Fish growth and survival are closely related to water quality.

Furthermore, fishes are cold-blooded animals. All of their bodily functions are directly influenced by the temperature of the environment. So, while the markets determine aquaculture opportunity, the ecological and economic principles determine choices for sustainable aquaculture practices and technology. Therefore, user of the manual are encouraged to understand the principles upon which catfish static water pond production technology is based. This is because the specific environment where the farm is located defined what additional opportunities and constraints in production one is likely to encounter. Farmers and extension agents are, therefore, encouraged to be observant and continue to make adaptations, in order to enhance the productivity and profitability of their specific enterprises. Therefore, this book is but a general guide to the commercial production of catfish in ponds. The process is highly technical (especially spawning).  

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PREPARED FEASIBILITY STUDY ON FISH BUISNESS ON 5,000 CATFISH

In fish farming the first culture chamber used was the earthen pond, and because of the requirements about the quality of soil which must have 75% clay and retain water. Other qualities which disqualifies other farm sites brought about a concrete pond in which one can culture fish in any farm site even in the compound. But because of some problems in concrete ponds brought about the latest pond designed which is tarpaulin pond, this pond is mobile and does not need one going into any form of constructions.
 LIMITATIONS OF CONCRETE PONDS
1. The chemical from the cement affects the fish all year because of the reaction with water.
 2. The concrete pond is prone to be plastered every season because of the cracks as a result of reactions with water and cement.
 3. The cost is high.
 4. The growth rate of the fish is not encouraging.
 5. A lot of treatment is needed before the pond can be used after construction
. ADVANTAGES OF TARPAULIN POND
1. You can culture fish even inside your compound.
 2. You can use a temporally site to start your fish farm.
3. It is the ideal replacement for earthen pond.
 4. It enhance faster growth of fish. 5
. It makes the fish to feel as if the environment is natural.
 6. It is cheaper and does not need servicing all season.
 COST IMPLICATION IN USING A TARPAULIN POND.
 A pond of 10ft by 20ft will cost N50,000 and galvanized pipe used for the stands for the 20ft by 10ft by 4ft is N18,000, making the total cost of the pond to be N68000.
 COST OF POST FINGERLING OR THE FISH SEED.
 We have three breeds, and their prize on growth rate differs, we have one of N10, N20 and N35 respectively.
 And after six months of culture their growth rate will be 1kg, 1.5kg, and 2.5kg respectively.
So the cost for N10 is N50,000
 N20 is N100,000
 N35 is N175,000
 But the size of the fish determines the market, if 1kg of fish is sold at N400 the 2.5kg will be sold at N1000 plus.
 COST OF FEEDING
 In fish farming the cost of feeding goes up to 75% of the money spent in fish farming and that is why is good that one must culture the breed that will grow well.
 N1000 fishes will consume 40 bags of feed and a bag is sold at N4500 40x5 ponds = N200 bags in all 200x4500 = 900,000
 WATER TREATMENT= This treatment is done in water before stocking fish to prevent shock and any form of bacterial in the water. Each pond will cost N5000 5000x5 ponds = N25,000
GROWTH BOOSTER= This is a multi mineral supplement mixed together with the feed everyday to boost its growth
 PLUMBING= The outlet and inlet connection of the ponds will cost N40,000.
THERE ARE MANY WAYS OF REDUCING THE COST OF FEEDING, AT LEAST SAVING 20% OF THE COST OF FEEDING. THE BENEFITS IS FOR THOSE AM CONSULTING FOR TOTAL COST
 Cost of Ponds : 68,000x5 = N 340,000
 Cost of fish seed : = 175,000
 Cost of feeding: =900,000
 Cost of water treatment =2 5,000
 Cost of booster : = 80,000
 Plumbing: =40,000
 TOTAL: = 1,560,000
COST OF INPUT = N1,560,000
 OUT PUT
When the good breed is culture and fed well the average weight of the fish will be 2kg. And at whole sale price will be at N700 and if 4,800 fishes survives the out put will be 4,800xN700
which is = 3,360,000
 Gain = output – input = 3,360,000 – 1,560,000 = 1,8000,000 profit
 OUR SERVICES Our consultant services covers the farm set up and weekly or monthly check ups on the welfare of the farm to ensure that the fishes are doing well. Our charge for consultancy depends on what the owner wants such as full service or short services. CALL US ON 08032861326 +2348032861326 for help and consultancy.

HOW TO SETUP A MOBILE POND IN NIGERIA

Mobile pond (e.g) tarpaulin is the most cheapest and long lasting pond first used in advanced countries like china and other countries that have advanced in fish farming.
Nigeria as one of developing countries in fish farming has a very nice weather condition that fits the mobile pond. The fixing and management is very easy. see the picture below.
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MECHANIZED FARMING/AGRICULTURE

Mechanized agriculture is the process of using agricultural machinery to mechanize the work of agriculture, greatly increasing farm worker productivity. In modern times, powered
machinery has replaced many
jobs formerly carried out by men
or animals such as oxen, horses and mules. The history of agriculture contains many examples of tool use, but
only in recent time has the high
rate of machine use been at such a
level. The first pervasive mechanization
of agriculture came with the
introduction of the plough, usually powered by animals. It
was invented in ancient
Mesopotamia. Current mechanized agriculture
includes the use of Tractors,
trucks, combine harvesters,
airplanes (crop dusters),
helicopters, and other vehicles.
Modern farms even sometimes use computers in conjunction with satellite imagery and GPS guidance to increase yields. See: List of agricultural machinery Mechanization was one of the
factors responsible for
urbanization and industrial
economies. Besides improving
production efficiency,
mechanization encourages large scale production and improves the
quality of farm produce. On the
other hand, it displaces unskilled
farm labor, causes environmental
pollution, deforestation and
erosion. History A reaper at Woolbrook, New South Wales Main article: Productivity improving technologies
(historical) Threshing machine in 1881. Steam engines were also used to power threshing machines. Today both reaping and threshing are done with a combine harvester. Jethro Tull's seed drill (ca. 1701) was a mechanical seed spacing
and depth placing device that
increased crop yields and saved
seed. It was an important factor in
the British Agricultural Revolution.[1] Cotton picker at work. The first successful models were introduced in the mid 1940s and each could do the work of 50 hand pickers. Since the beginning of agriculture
threshing was done by hand with
a flail, requiring a great deal of labor. The threshing machine, which was invented in 1794 but
not widely used for several more
decades, simplified the operation
and allowed the use of animal
power. Before the invention of the grain cradle (ca. 1790) an able bodied laborer could reap about one
quarter acre of wheat in a day
using a sickle. It was estimated
that for each of Cyrus McCormick's
horse pulled reapers (ca. 1830s)
freed up five men for military service in the U.S. Civil War.[2] Later innovations included raking
and binding machines. By 1890
two men and two horses could
cut, rake and bind 20 acres of wheat per day.[3] In the 1880s the reaper and
threshing machine were combined
into the combine harvester. These machines required large teams of
horses or mules to pull. Steam power was applied to
threshing machines in the late
19th century. There were steam
engines that moved around on
wheels under their own power for
supplying temporary power to stationary threshing machines.
These were called road engines,
and Henry Ford seeing one as a
boy was inspired to build an automobile.[4] With internal combustion came
the first modern tractors in the
early 1900s, becoming more
popular after the Fordson tractor (ca. 1917). At first reapers and
combine harvesters were pulled
by tractors, but in the 1930s self
powered combines were developed.[5] (Link to a chapter on agricultural mechanization in
the 20th Century at reference) The horse population in the U.S.
began to decline in the 1920s after
the conversion of agriculture and
transportation to internal
combustion. Peak tractor sales in the U.S. were around 1950.[6] In addition to saving labor, this freed
up much land previously used for supporting draft animals.[7] The greatest period of growth in
agricultural productivity in the
U.S. was from the 1940s to the
1970s, during which time
agriculture was benefiting from
internal combustion powered tractors and combine harvesters, chemical fertilizers and the green revolution.[8] References 1. ^ McNeil, Ian (1990). An Encyclopedia of the History of
Technology. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-14792-1. 2. ^ Hounshell, David A. (1984), From the American System to
Mass Production, 1800-1932: The
Development of Manufacturing
Technology in the United States,
Baltimore, Maryland: Johns
Hopkins University Press, ISBN 978-0-8018-2975-8, LCCN 83016269 3. ^ Wells, David A. (1891). Recent Economic Changes and Their
Effect on Production and
Distribution of Wealth and Well- Being of Society . New York: D. Appleton and Co.. ISBN 0-543-72474-3. 4. ^ Ford, Henry; Samuel (1922). My Life and Work: An autobiography of Henry Ford 5. ^ Constable, George; Somerville, Bob (2003). A Century of Innovation: Twenty Engineering
Achievements That
Transformed Our Lives, Chapter 7, Agricultural Mechanization . Washington, DC: Joseph Henry
Press. ISBN 0-309-08908-5. 6. ^ White, William J.. "Economic History of Tractors in the United States" 7. ^ Ayres, R. U.; Ayres, L. W.; Warr, B. (2002). Exergy, Power and Work in the U. S. Economy
1900-1998, Insead’s Center For
the Management of
Environmental Resources, 2002/52/EPS/CMER 8. ^ Moore, Stephen; Simon, Julian (Dec. 15, 1999). The Greatest Century That Ever Was: 25
Miraculous Trends of the last
100 Years, The Cato Institute: Policy Analysis, No. 364 Fig 13.

AGRONOMY AS PART AGRICULTURE

Agronomy is the science and technology of producing and
using plants for food, fuel, feed,
fiber, and reclamation. Agronomy
encompasses work in the areas of
plant genetics, plant physiology,
meteorology, and soil science. Agronomy is the application of a
combination of sciences like
biology, chemistry, economics,
ecology, earth science, and
genetics. Agronomists today are involved with many issues
including producing food, creating
healthier food, managing
environmental impact of
agriculture, and creating energy from plants.[1] Agronomists often specialize in areas such as crop rotation, irrigation and drainage, plant breeding, plant physiology, soil classification, soil fertility, weed control, insect and pest control. Plant breeding Main article: Plant breeding This area of agronomy involves selective breeding of plants to produce the best crops under
various conditions. Plant breeding
has increased crop yields and has
improved the nutritional value of numerous crops, including corn, soybeans, and wheat. It has also led to the development of new
types of plants. For example, a hybrid grain called triticale was produced by crossbreeding rye
and wheat. Triticale contains more
usable protein than does either rye or wheat. Agronomy has also
been instrumental in fruit and
vegetable production research. It
is understood that the role of
agronomist includes seeing
whether produce from a field of 'x' meets the following conditions: 1.
Land and water access, 2.
Commercialization (market), 3.
Quality and quantity of inputs, 4.
Risk protection (insurance), 5.
Agricultural credit.[citation needed] Biotechnology An agronomist mapping a plant genome. Agronomists use biotechnology to extend and expedite the
development of desired
characteristics listed in the Plant Breeding section.[2] Biotechnology is often a lab
activity requiring field testing of
the new crop varieties that are
developed. In addition to increasing crop
yields agronomic biotechnology is
increasingly being applied for
novel uses other than food. For
example, oilseed is at present used mainly for margarine and
other food oils, but it can be
modified to produce fatty acids
for detergents, substitute fuels
and petrochemicals. Soil science Agronomists describing a soil sample in Uganda, Africa. Main article: Agricultural soil science Agronomists study sustainable
ways to make soils more productive and profitable. They
classify soils and reproduce them
to determine whether they
contain substances vital to plant
growth such as compounds of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. If a certain soil is deficient in these substances,
fertilizers may provide them. Soil
science also involves investigation
of the movement of nutrients
through the soil, the amount of
nutrients absorbed by a plant's roots, and the development of
roots and their relation to the soil. Soil conservation In addition, agronomists develop
methods to preserve the soil and
to decrease the effects of erosion by wind and water. For example,
a technique called contour plowing may be used to prevent soil erosion and conserve rainfall.
Researchers in agronomy also
seek ways to use the soil more
effectively in solving other
problems. Such problems include
the disposal of human and animal wastes; water pollution; and also the build-up in the soil of pesticides. No-tilling crops is a technique now used to help
prevent erosion. Planting of soil
binding grasses along contours
can be tried in steep slopes. For
better effect, contour drains of
depths up to 1 metre may help retain the soil and prevent
permanent wash off.[citation needed] Agroecology Agroecology is the management of agricultural systems with an
emphasis on ecological and environmental perspectives.[3] This area is closely associated with
work in the areas of sustainable agriculture, organic farming, alternative food systems and the development of alternative
cropping systems. Theoretical modeling Main article: Theoretical production ecology Agronomy schools Agronomy programs are offered
at colleges, universities, and
specialized agricultural schools.
Agronomy programs often
involve classes across a range of
departments including agriculture, biology, chemistry,
and physiology. They can usually
take from four to twelve years.
Many companies will pay an
agronomist-in-training's way
through college if they agree to work for them when they
graduate. Career outlook Due to the continued growth of
the global population—and the
consequent expanding need for
study of food crops and
agriculture in general—the
outlook for agronomy and agronomists is excellent[citation needed][who?]. Past agricultural research has
created higher yielding crops,
crops with better resistance to
pests and plant pathogens, and
more effective fertilizers and
pesticides. Research is still necessary, however, particularly
as insects and diseases continue to
adapt to pesticides and as soil
fertility and water quality
continue to need improvement. Emerging biotechnologies will
play an ever larger role in
agricultural research. Scientists
will be needed to apply these
technologies to the creation of
new food products and other advances. Moreover, increasing
demand is expected for biofuels
and other agricultural products
used in industrial processes.
Agricultural scientists will be
needed to find ways to increase the output of crops used in these
products. Agronomists will also be needed
to balance increased agricultural
output with protection and
preservation of soil, water, and
ecosystems. They increasingly
encourage the practice of sustainable agriculture by
developing and implementing
plans to manage pests, crops, soil
fertility and erosion, and animal
waste in ways that reduce the use
of harmful chemicals and do little damage to farms and the natural environment.[4] Most agronomists are consultants,
researchers, or teachers. Many
work for agricultural experiment stations, federal or state government agencies, industrial
firms, or universities. Agronomists
also serve in such international
organizations as the Agency for International Development, The United States Department of
Agriculture, and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.[citation needed] Agronomists career options are
expanding rapidly with possible
ties with golf landscaping
including topsoil analysis and
drainage conditions. They often
work in conjunction with landscape architects and
engineers to determine the best
soil qualities/conditions to suit the
site specifications.

EXTENSIVE FARMING/AGRICULTURE

Extensive farming or Extensive agriculture (as opposed to Intensive farming) is an agricultural production system
that uses small inputs of labour, fertilizers, and capital, relative to the land area being farmed. Extensive farming most
commonly refers to sheep and
cattle farming in areas with low
agricultural productivity, but can
also refer to large-scale growing
of wheat, barley and other grain crops in areas like the Murray- Darling Basin. Here, owing to the extreme age and poverty of the
soils, yields per hectare are very
low, but the flat terrain and very
large farm sizes mean yields per
unit of labour are high. Nomadic herding is an extreme example of extensive farming, where herders
move their animals to use feed
from occasional rainfalls. Geography Extensive farming is found in the
mid-latitude sections of most
continents, as well as in desert
regions where water for cropping
is not available. The nature of
extensive farming means it requires less rainfall than
intensive farming. The farm is
usually large in comparison with
the numbers working and money
spent on it. In most parts of Western Australia, pastures are so poor that only one sheep to the square mile can be supported [1] Just as the demand has led to the
basic division of cropping and
pastoral activities, these areas can
also be subdivided depending on
the regions rainfall, vegetation
type and agricultural activity within the area and the many
other parentheses related to this
data.

WHAT IS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE?

Agricultural science is a broad multidisciplinary field that
encompasses the parts of exact,
natural, economic and social sciences that are used in the practice and understanding of agriculture. (Veterinary science, but not animal science, is often excluded from the definition.) Agriculture and agricultural
science The two terms are often confused.
However, they cover different
concepts: Agriculture is the set of activities that transform the
environment for the production
of animals and plants for
human use. Agriculture
concerns techniques, including
the application of agronomic research. Agronomy is research and development related to studying and improving plant-
based agriculture. Agricultural sciences include
research and development on: Production techniques (e.g., irrigation management, recommended nitrogen inputs) Improving agricultural productivity in terms of quantity and quality (e.g.,
selection of drought-resistant crops and animals,
development of new pesticides, yield-sensing technologies,
simulation models of crop
growth, in-vitro cell culture techniques) Transformation of primary
products into end-consumer products (e.g., production,
preservation, and packaging of dairy products) Prevention and correction of
adverse Agricultural science: a local
science With the exception of theoretical agronomy, research in agronomy, more than in any other field, is
strongly related to local areas. It
can be considered a science of ecoregions, because it is closely linked to soil properties and climate, which are never exactly the same from one place to
another. Many people think an
agricultural production system
relying on local weather, soil characteristics, and specific crops
has to be studied locally. Others
feel a need to know and
understand production systems in
as many areas as possible, and the
human dimension of interaction with nature. History of agricultural science Main article: History of agricultural science Agricultural science began with Gregor Mendel's genetic work, but in modern terms might be better
dated from the chemical fertilizer outputs of plant physiological understanding in eighteenth
century Germany.[citation needed] In the United States, a scientific
revolution in agriculture began
with the Hatch Act of 1887, which used the term "agricultural
science". The Hatch Act was driven
by farmers' interest in knowing
the constituents of early artificial
fertilizer. The Smith-Hughes Act of 1917 shifted agricultural education
back to its vocational roots, but
the scientific foundation had been built.[1] After 1906, public expenditures on agricultural
research in the US exceeded
private expenditures for the next 44 years.[2]:xxi Intensification of agriculture since
the 1960s in developed and developing countries, often referred to as the Green Revolution, was closely tied to progress made in selecting and
improving crops and animals for
high productivity, as well as to
developing additional inputs such
as artificial fertilizers and phytosanitary products. As the oldest and largest human
intervention in nature, the
environmental impact of
agriculture in general and more
recently intensive agriculture, industrial development, and
population growth have raised
many questions among
agricultural scientists and have led
to the development and
emergence of new fields. These include technological fields that
assume the solution to
technological problems lies in
better technology, such as integrated pest management, waste treatment technologies, land scape architecture, genomics, and agricultural philosophy fields that include references to food production as something essentially different from non-
essential economic 'goods'. In fact,
the interaction between these two
approaches provide a fertile field
for deeper understanding in
agricultural science. New technologies, such as biotechnology and computer science (for data processing and storage), and technological
advances have made it possible to
develop new research fields,
including genetic engineering, agrophysics, improved statistical analysis, and precision farming. Balancing these, as above, are the
natural and human sciences of
agricultural science that seek to
understand the human-nature
interactions of traditional agriculture, including interaction of religion and agriculture, and the non-material components of
agricultural production systems.