The evolution of aquaculture in African rural and economic development

In Africa, aquaculture has developed only recently and so far has made only a small contribution to economic development and food security. We review developments and identify constraints to the expansion of aquaculture in ec onomic and rural development at the continental, national and farm levels. Past development initiatives failed to achieve sustainable increases in pro duction. In contrast, a growing number of smallholder farmers in many count ries have been adopting and adapting pond aquaculture to their existing far ming systems and slowly increasing their production efficiency. An evolutio nary approach that builds on a fusion of local and outside participation in technology development and transfer appears more likely to produce fish pr oduction systems that are more productive and more environmentally and soci ally sustainable in the long term. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All right s reserved.