Africa & Asia: Novel feeding strategy boosts fish farmers’ incomes by 22 percent

So concludes a study by Wageningen University and WorldFish, which aimed to establish more economical ways of increasing aquaculture yields, as a means to alleviate poverty and increase food security in Africa and Asia. In particular they looked at feeds that not only target the fish but also the pond organisms that help break down waste and produce natural feed for the fish. As different ingredients are used, this feed is cheaper than conventional alternatives. While it has less direct nutritional value for the fish, it allows the pond to provide more high-quality feed. “This makes it very attractive for a fish farmer,” said Wageningen researcher Marc Verdegem. “The fish production is the same, if not higher, and the fish farmer pays less for the feed”. In Bangladesh, for example, fish farmers using this method reported a 22 percent increase in income. The feed used in the study contains more carbohydrates, which are only partially digested by the fish. Bacteria in the pond ...