Page 6 - AWA Vol.41-No.2

FISHERIES & FISH FARMING

Stepping boldly into Guyana’s aquaculture space

ear the Corentyne Coast in the fishponds to encourage shrimp larvae I realized how much the mangroves cre-
Nmost eastern part of Guyana, locals growth. While the traditional approach ated a feeding ground and habitat and
farm the endemic brackish water shrimp can be low-cost, it presents significant how good their yields were.”
(Penaeus subtilis and Penaeus schmitt). vulnerabilities regarding supply consis-
The shrimp thrives in constructed ponds tency, environmental changes and dis- While the up-front and running costs of
that contain a mix of freshwater from the ease. the new method are higher, he became
Canje River, other inland waterways and convinced that the potential benefits out-
saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean, creat- “Over the years, we were not yield- weighed the costs.
ing the optimal brackish conditions that ing enough. The fertility of the land Soon, Suedat and other fish farmers ap-
contribute to its unique flavour and co- dropped, the yields dropped, the pro- proached the Ministry of Agriculture for
duction dropped, and we ended up
lour.
with a shortfall of shrimp. We needed a support in planting mangroves around
Suedat Persaud is one of many who change,” he says. their fishponds. Through FAO and Uni-
has been farming this niche shrimp for To ensure sustainability and growth, the versity of the West Indies micro-grant
decades. He is also the founder and sec- sector needed enhanced support sys- funding, the National Agriculture Re-
retary of the East Berbice-Corentyne search and Extension Institute (NAREI)
Aquaculture Cooperative Society Ltd, tems, such as improved access to train- developed a training programme on
which is made up of brackish water ing, resources and market opportunities, mangrove planting and restoration. A
farmers in Fyrish Village. as well as better management practices community-based mangrove restoration
to increase resilience.
His parents were also fish farmers spe- pilot followed to support brackish water
cializing in brackish water shrimp, crab, In 2021, the Government of Guyana ini- shrimp farming.
mullet and snook, which Suedat contin- tiated a project to improve livelihoods, FAO provided farming equipment,
ues to cultivate. food security and exports of shrimp.
By January 2024, the investment had training in post-harvest handling, cold
“During my parents’ time, I learnt dif- amounted to over USD 1.5 million, with storage and sanitation. It also worked
ferent methods of fish farming, espe- production surging from 105 tonnes in on improvements in pond construction
cially for brackish water shrimp, some of 2020 to 958 tonnes in 2023. so pumps could carry water from the
which I still use today. After they passed, ocean. Suedat and the members of the
Further support came through training
I just continued in their footsteps. Today provided by the Food and Agriculture cooperative now see a more promising
I have two sons who are also involved in Organization of the United Nations (FAO) future for brackish water shrimp farming
the farm operations,” he says. with training in good farm management,
and Guyana’s Ministry of Agriculture’s
Farming brackish water shrimp, how- Fisheries Department. It exposed farm- food safety and business management.
ever, is not the same as it used to be. ers to a method that helps to increase So far, the production system has in-
shrimp production through the introduc-
“We experienced a lot of difficulties creased yields from approximately 35
because of climate change and other tion of supplementary feed and uses 000 kilograms per month to some 60 000
a controlled system that pumps water
weather phenomena over the decades,” from the ocean into the ponds. kilograms per month. The industry has
he says, mentioning the El Niño droughts become more lucrative because con-
and La Niña floods. “We have also seen As part of the project “Sustainable De- sumers, especially from the Guyanese
changes in wind patterns that bring in velopment of Resilient Value Chains”, diaspora, are willing to pay a premium
more fresh water from the river, which FAO and the Ministry also introduced price for the product. Farmers have also
has less salinity and that affects the other good aquaculture practices, such started selling brackish water shrimp in
amount of shrimp larvae that we get.” as mangrove planting and restoration. other regions of Guyana.
Traditionally, farmers in East Berbice Suedat recalls the day he witnessed With increased yields while reducing
have used a production system that re- some of what he was learning put into the strain on the environment, brackish
quired little to no feeding but depended practice. “It was when I visited a village shrimp farmers have turned the tables
on the natural inflow of tides to fill their with two large swamps where fisherfolk on climate change and secured their
ponds and bring in wild-sourced shrimp grab crabs that I noticed a lot of man- livelihoods into the future.
larvae. This method necessitated fre- groves planted around the perimeter
quent changing and excavation of new dams to support the fish. It was then that Circle 4 on enquiry card
4 Vol. 41 No. 2