UA Magazine no. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

This UA Magazine has been funded by PAPUSSA.

Dear Readers,
Despite the growing importance and attention given to urban agriculture, the importance and potential of growing fish and edible aquatic plants in and around cities remains largely unknown to the wider development audience. The term "urban aquaculture" captures a broad array of activities. The cultivation of fish and aquatic plants is widespread throughout many cities in Southeast Asia and to a lesser extent in Africa and Latin America. Aquatic production is intrinsically linked with the livelihoods of a significant number of the lower-income urban households. It includes a wide array of activities, from extensive to intensive cultivation of both fish and aquatic vegetables. However, the production systems involved are generally semi-intensive often utilising wastewater from the city as a source of nutrients and fertiliser for increasing production.

This issue of UA Magazine presents PAPUSSA findings in conjunction with articles on periurban aquaculture from other cities and other continents to a broader non-aquaculture audience. The PAPUSSA (Periurban Aquatic Production Systems in South-East Asia) project, aims to give an overview of the status and impact of periurban aquatic production systems in four cities (Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi). See also www.papussa.org

The overall findings thus far from the PAPUSSA project have been qualified by both the considerable differences and some similarities between the four target cities, which is summarized in the editorial. Possible scenarios for the future of these communities are described in several articles. Based on the preliminary findings presented it is concluded that the disappearance of some systems in the four cities studied is inevitable under urbanization. However, due to the huge demand for and consumption of aquatic vegetables within these cities, especially water spinach, which is produced in virtually all periurban areas often using wastewater as its main input of nutrients, can show a continuation of aquatic production in many cities. This will depend on city planners’ ability to coordinate and develop strategies for the effective separation of industrial waste effluents from domestic sewage. Other articles from Africa and Latin America illustrate the potential for the relatively small-scale production of fish on a local, community, or even household level.

You are invited to contribute to future issues of the Urban Agriculture Magazine: see the Future Issues. Articles are welcome of up to 2,500 words in length, and preferably accompanied by illustrations (digital and of good quality), references and an abstract. Despite that each issue has a focus on a selected theme we welcome contributions on any subject. Articles will be examined for selection by the editorial team consisting of the RUAF-based responsible editor and the external scientific advisor/co-editor.

For the other language issues of the UA Magazine, click here for more information on regional issues and subscription.

Editorial

Will Leschen, David Little, Stuart Bunting and René van Veenhuizen

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

The cultivation of fish and aquatic plants/vegetables¹ is widespread throughout many cities in South East Asia and to a lesser extent in Africa and Latin America. Aquatic production is intrinsically linked with the livelihoods of a significant number of the lower income urban households. There is a wide array of activities, from extensive to intensive cultivation of both fish and aquatic vegetables. However, the production systems involved are generally semi-intensive often utilising wastewater from the city as a source of nutrients and fertiliser for increasing production.

¹⁾ term aquatic vegetable is used throughout this edition to describe the edible green plants water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica) – commonly known as water morning glory, water mimosa (Neptunia oleracea), water cress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum) and water dropwort (Oenanthe stolonifera) which are grown in water.

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Aquatic Food Production Systems in Bangkok

Ruangvit Yoonpundh, Varunthat Dulyapurk and Chumpol Srithong

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

Around 10 million people now reside in densely populated communities in Bangkok. As a result, the demand for food has increased dramatically. Of the many varieties of fresh produce available, city consumers favour aquatic products such as water spinach, water mimosa and freshwater fish. These products are grown primarily in periurban areas around Bangkok.

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Current Status of Periurban Aquatic Production in Hanoi

Nguyen Thi Dieu Phuong and Pham Anh Tuan

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

With a total of 5100 ha of water surface area Hanoi has great potential for aquaculture development, not only of traditional aquaculture practiced in ponds, reservoirs, urban lakes, rice fields, and wastewater-fed areas, but also aquaculture integrated with tourism, leisure and entertainment facilities. Because of urbanisation, pond aquaculture in urban areas in Hanoi is decreasing, whilst in peri-urban areas lowland rice fields are being converted into areas for aquatic vegetable production, fish ponds and integrated farming systems.

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Periurban Aquatic Food Production Systems in Phnom Penh

Kuong Khov, Sok Daream and Chouk Borin

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

The numerous plots located around wetlands in peri-urban Phnom Penh, are important sources of edible aquatic vegetables and fish for the city and other areas of Cambodia. These areas are fertilised by domestic sewage/wastewater discharged from the city. The activities relating to these production systems are intrinsically linked with the livelihoods of many poor people living in and around the city.

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Production and Marketing Systems of Aquatic Products in Ho Chi Minh City

Le Thanh Hung and Huynh Pham Viet Huy

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) is the second city of Vietnam located in the South-Eastern part of the country. With an area of 209,370 ha, HCMC is currently inhabited by almost 6 million permanent residents. About 83.3% of the population lives within the urban area, creating a very high population density with a diverse and dynamic economic environment. Aquaculture is an important component of the city’s economy, but increasingly so in the periurban areas.

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The Future of Periurban Aquatic Food Production Systems in Southeast Asia

Jonathan Rigg and Albert M Salamanca

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

Periurban aquatic food production systems are systems in transition. They are always at the cusp of change, on the point of shifting from one thing to another. New activities, physical features, agencies, institutions, populations and infrastructures colonise the periurban space, and may replace or displace existing peoples, institutions and activities, or lead them to respond and adapt to the evolving situation.

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Planning for Aquatic Production in East Kolkata Wetlands

Nitai Kundu, Nina Halder, Mousumi Pal, Sharmistha Saha and Stuart W Bunting

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

Wastewater aquaculture, as practised in the East Kolkata Wetlands (EKW), has attracted much international attention as a model system for the reuse of urban wastewater and resource recovery. At present the multifunctional wetland ecosystem covers approximately 12,500 ha, and is comprised mainly of 254 fisheries managed for wastewater aquaculture, agricultural land, horticultural plots and residential areas. It constitutes a unique system of resource recovery, in which nutrients are extracted from the city’s wastewater through fish farming and agriculture.

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Demise of Periurban Wastewater-fed Aquaculture?

Peter Edwards

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

Recent field visits of the author to periurban areas in Bangladesh and Vietnam indicate that some wastewater-fed aquaculture systems may have limited prospects, while others prove difficult to extend. The major constraining factor is the limited availability of land in rapidly expanding cities.

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Skin Diseases Among People Using Urban Wastewater in Phnom Penh

Wim van der Hoek, Vuong Tuan Anh, Phung Dac Cam, Chan Vicheth and Anders Dalsgaard

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

The major challenge in sustainable use of wastewater in agriculture and aquaculture is to optimise the benefits of wastewater as a resource (both the water and the nutrients it contains) and to minimise the negative impacts on human health. Epidemiological studies in different countries have established
that the highest risk to human health of using wastewater in agriculture and aquaculture is posed by worm infections.

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The Use of Treated Sewage Water from Settlement Ponds in San Juan, Lima

Julio Moscoso

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

The Treatment and Use of Sewage Water programme started at CEPIS twenty years ago in order to contribute to increasing the sewage water treatment network in the region using technologies that would allow for the removal of pathogenic organisms as well as organic materials. So far, CEPIS and the various Peruvian institutions have carried out a series of experiments on the treatment and use of sewage water at the Bio-Ecological Complex in San Juan, south of Lima, Peru.

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Family Aquaculture in Cuba

Magaly Coto Coto

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

Aquaculture is seen as an important alternative in Cuban food production. The MIP promotes aquaculture in Cuba though the concept of “Family Aquaculture

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The Role of Aqua Farming in Feeding African Cities

Krishen Rana, Jide Anyila, Khalid Salie, Charles Mahika, Simon Heck and Jimmy Young

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

Rapid urbanisation in Africa (of about 7-10% per year), unemployment, food insecurity in urban and peri-urban zones, and declining fish supplies are major issues that have to be addressed by local and national governments in the region. These issues are occurring against a backdrop of changing economic forces and trade patterns in national and international food markets in the region, causing significant proportions of the urban poor to engage in farming as a livelihood and household food security option.

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Tilapia Culture in Homestead Concrete Tanks in Periurban Nigeria

J. A. Afolabi, P. B. Imoudu and O. A. Fagbenro

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

Two major constraints to the establishment of fish culture enterprises in Nigeria include lack of initial capital input and the acquisition and ownership of land. The rental price of land suitable for modern and conventional pond fish culture becomes prohibitive and unaffordable especially in urban centres because of competing and conflicting uses. Family-scale (backyard) aquaculture in periurban areas has been recommended in Nigeria as an economical method of producing fish. The homestead concrete tank has been developed as an alternative and suitable enclosure for backyard fish culture.

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Periurban Aquaculture in Ghana

With contributions from
Dr Eddie Kofi Abban and Mr. Ransford Cudjoe

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

Fish farming was taken up enthusiastically in the late 1970’s by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) as an alternate income-generating venture. It was seen as an important part of the “Operation Feed Yourself “(OFY) that was launched by the then government. Efforts were made to develop fish farms on all available land that could not be used for farming at that time and where water was readily available. A few of the fish farmers made successes, but due to lack of training and information the majority ran into management problems. The fish farming programme to reduce poverty in the urban and periurban community failed. Within the last five years also, fish farming or aquaculture as an enterprise is becoming acknowledged by both urban and rural communities, but is gaining ground especially in urban centres.

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Urban Agriculture in Istanbul, Turkey

Cagdas Kaya

In: UA Magazine No. 14 - Urban Aquatic Production

Turkey has been defined as a bridge between Asia and Europe. These two continents and their civilizations have left many marks on Turkey and the Turkish people. For thousands of years in Anatolia (Asian part) and Thrace (European part) life has been mostly based on agriculture. Istanbul, situated on this bridge, is growing rapidly as it attracts immigrants from rural areas. It is there that this initiative on urban agriculture is situated.

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Books / Websites

This is the section on Books and Websites in Urban Agriculture Magazine # 14.

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Events / News and Partners

The section on Events, News and Partners in Urban Agriculture Magazine # 14.

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RUAF Workshop on Multi-stakeholder Action Planning and Policy Making

Information about the RUAF Workshop on Multi-stakeholder Action Planning and Policy Making.

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Forthcoming Issues

Information on Forthcoming Issues of the Urban Agriculture Magazine.

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Colophon

Urban Agriculture Magazine
Urban Aquatic Production
ISSN 1571-6244
No. 14, June 2005

UA Magazine is published three times a year by the Network of Resource Centres for Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF), under the Cities Farming for the Future Programme, which is financed by DGIS, the Netherlands, and IDRC, Canada.
UA Magazine is translated into French, Spanish, Chinese, Arabic and Turkish, and distributed in separate editions through the RUAF regional networks, and is also available on www.ruaf.org.

The RUAF Partners are:

Latin America: IPES Promoción del Desarrollo Sostenible, Lima Peru; email: au@ipes.org.pe; Magazine in Spanish: www.ipes.org
French Speaking West Africa: IAGU Institut Africain de Gestion Urbaine, Dakar, Senegal; email: moussa@iagu.org; Magazine in French: www.iagu.org
English Speaking West Africa: International Water Management Institute, IWMI-Ghana; email: o.cofie@cgiar.org
East and Southern Africa: MDP Municipal Development Partnership (MDP); email: smushamba@mdpesa.org
South and South East Asia: International Water Management Institute, IWMI-India; email: r.simmons@cgiar.org
North Africa and Middle East: American University of Beirut, email: zm13@aub.edu.lb; Magazine in Arabic: www.ecosystems.org/esduhomepage.php
China: IGSNRR Institute of Geographical Sciences and Natural Resource Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; email: caijm@igsnrr.ac.cn; Magazine in Chinese: www.cnruaf.com
Coordination and Support: ETC Foundation; email: ruaf@etcnl.nl; Magazine in English: www.ruaf.org

Editors, No. 14

This issue has been compiled by René van Veenhuizen (Responsible Editor), together with Will Leschen of Stirling University for the PAPUSSA Network.

Web Editing and Books

Dorine Ruter and René van Veenhuizen

Administration

Nathalie Rietman

Language Editor

Catharina de Kat-Reynen

Design, Layout and Printing

Koninklijke BDU

Subscriptions

The editor, ruaf@etcnl.nl

Address

Urban Agriculture Magazine
P.O. Box 64
3830 AB Leusden
The Netherlands