The impact of integrated aquaculture–agriculture on small-scale farm sustainability and farmers’ livelihoods: Experience from Bangladesh

Intensification of agriculture often requires external inputs, has negative environmental effects and increases risk, especially for small-scale producers. Integrated aquaculture-agriculture (IAA) instead uses on-farm synergy effects of crop and fish production. The impact of long-term IAA training provided to small-scale farmers in Bangladesh is assessed using panel data from 260 project and 126 control farmers who were monitored from 2002/2003 to 2005/2006. We find that the training had a significant positive impact on farmers’ technical efficiency, total factor productivity and net incomes. These result in higher food consumption and better nutrition for trained households compared to control farmers.

Research highlights
► IAA significantly improves productivity, profitability and efficiency of farms.
► IAA adoption increased food and fish consumption and had positive nutrition effects.
► IAA improves ecological sustainability of farming through recycling of by-products.
► IAA increases diversification and cropping intensity resulting in higher resilience.