In Asia, emphasis on aquaculture during the past two decades has resulted in increased fish production and has stimulated rural development. The 1987, aquaculture production of 10.9 million tons, representing 21% of total fishery production in the Asia-Pacific region, was almost a three fold increase over that of 1976 which was only 3.7 million tonnes representing about 12% of total fishery production. Output from aquaculture continued to increase at a faster rate compared with other food production sectors. Between 1986-1996 global aquaculture in terms of quantity and value increased at the rate of 10% per year and in 1996 it reached 34.12 million tonnes and US$ 46.6 billion, respectively. Asia continues to dominate world aquaculture production and in 1996 Asia accounted for 91% and 83.5% of production and value, respectively. In the next millennium the demand for finfish and other aquatic edible organisms is likely to increase multifold due to rising trend in population and living standards. In view of the declining capture fisheries production, it is expected that much of this demand is likely to be met from aquaculture. The major challenges ahead for aquaculture therefore are to make sustainable increase in production and promote aquaculture as a long term farming activity to support equitable rural development.
Asian aquaculture is predominantly a rural food farming activity where major production is contributed by small holders in rural communities through farming of low valued species of aquatic organisms in family ponds and common property resources like community ponds, seasonal and perennial tanks and other water bodies. Majority of these producers are relatively resource poor, less educated and invisible to fisheries research and support services. Further, due to large number of relatively small holdings, remote location, seasonal and scattered nature of their production bases, their contribution is considered to be grossly underestimated (Mekong Committee, 1992). The number of ponds in Bangladesh has been estimated in 1889/1990 to be over 1.48 million. The figure still stands valid even after a decade of significant expansion in this area. Most of the concerned development agencies feel that the number might have crossed over 2 million mark by now.
To achieve sustainable development, aquaculture need to address widespread rural poverty and inequity in developing countries. According to Dr. Swaminathan any development may not be sustainable if it is not equitable (Swaminathan, 1994). Future development of aquaculture is expected through increase in area and intensifying production in existing aquaculture areas. Majority of the small and medium scale Asian farmers are primarily engaged in agriculture and aquaculture is the secondary or subsidiary farming activity. There is growing feeling among them that there is limited scope for their development exclusively through agriculture. Main reason being the marginalization of profit from crop farming due to increasing cost of inputs, erratic power supply, supply of sub-standard seed, fertilizers and pesticides. Aquaculture, on the other hand, even at the subsistence level, assures substantial cash income from the sale of domestic surplus. Further, due to large number of native species of different feeding and living habits, aquaculture has great potential for its expansion in areas like saline soils, swamps, flood plains etc., which are not suitable for agriculture. Farmers, although still keen to ensure food security for their families, are looking increasingly towards cash crops, trade and complementary activities to supplement their income and improve their living standards. Aquaculture is also viewed as one of the alternative farming activity and as such the role of aquaculture will be of importance in planning for sustainable rural development, especially in countries where aquaculture is already established as a recognized economic activity. In this context, the need for an effective Extension Services cannot be overemphasized.
