- Email: [email protected]
Research and education for the development of integrated crop-livestock-fish farming systems in the tropics
398
Quite apart from its central theme of rational use of Pacific salmon resources, this book provides much general material on the current status and use of those resources. But its primary value will be as a source of provocative ideas to exercise the minds of fishery and aquaculture managers at all scales, from individual entrepreneurs to international treaty negotiators. The book is smartly produced in large format (22 x 28.5 cm), clearly illustrated, two columns of text to the page, and with photographs of the authors at the head of each chapter. JOHN THORPE Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory Pitlochry Perthshire PH16 5LB (Great Britain)
INTEGRATED FARMING
Research and Education for the Development of Integrated Crop-Livestock-Fish Farming Systems in the Tropics. P. Edwards, R.S.V. Pullin, and T.A. Gartner. ICLARM Studies and Reviews 16, International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management, Manila, The Philippines. 1988. 53 pp., ISBN 971-1022-46-X (paperback), US$6.00. The integrated farming system, incorporating agriculture, animal husbandry and aquaculture, is a classic example of byproduct recycling. Crop wastes and byproducts from agriculture form the feed for livestock (cattle, pigs and poultry) whose manure in turn becomes the input for fish pond fertilization. The livestock manure promotes in the pond a rich growth of phytoplankton and zooplankton, the natural food of many cultured fishes. Essentially Chinese in origin, the practice of integrated farming is most prevalent in Southeast Asia, although no more than 1% of the small-scale farmers appear to be involved. The authors of this book, or booklet rather, are very enthusiastic about the great potential of integrated farming and would like to see more and more small-scale farmers in tropical, third-world countries adopt integrated farming methods. The authors point out that a sound scientific research base is yet to be developed for integrated farming which for centuries had been based completely on the experiences of the practising farmer. They suggest areas of research that need to be taken up for improving the efficiency of the system. The kind of education and training required by the farmer to adopt integrated farming methods is also discussed at length. Considering that the system utilizes inputs from biological, agricultural and social sciences, the authors rightly advocate
a systems approach for such a study, and present as a model, the Master’s Degree program in Agricultural Systems offered at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand. Also given is a list of institutions in various countries with current or potential interests in research and education for the development of integrated farming systems. By no means an exhaustive treatise, this publication should nevertheless serve as an ideal primer for the multidisciplinary field of integrated farming. T.R. RAO Department of Zoology University of Delhi Delhi 110007 (India)
AQUACULTURE ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE FUTURE
Aquaculture Engineering Technologies for the Future. M. Walker (Editor). The Institute of Chemical Engineers, Symposium Series 111. EFCE Publication Series 66. Hemisphere Publishing Corporation, New York, NY, 1988. 418 pp,, ISBN O-89116-945-8, US$l25.00. There has been a considerable worldwide expansion in commercial aquaculture during the last decade or more and the products of this valuable industry are becoming increasingly important in meeting the demand for food from the aquatic environment. These developments have largely been fuelled by significant advances in our knowledge of the biology and environmental requirements of a wide range of aquatic organisms. This is, of course, a pre-requisite of successful culture, but one which must be accompanied by a detailed consideration of the means by which the required conditions can be provided if reliable and efficient production is to be achieved. There can be little doubt that design faults of aquaculture installations have been a major cause of failure and financial loss. This book will serve not only as a source of reference but to increase awareness of the importance of engineering as a discipline in the development of aquaculture systems. The papers contained in the book were among those presented at a conference organised by the Institute of Chemical Engineers Aquaculture Engineering Subject Group held at the University of Stirling, Scotland, in June 1988. The quality of presentations to symposia is inevitably variable, not least because authors offer papers for reasons other than having something worthwhile to say! For members of the research community, for example, attendence may depend on having a paper accepted while those in the commercial sector may seek the opportunity to publicise their products and/or expertise. The
Quite apart from its central theme of rational use of Pacific salmon resources, this book provides much general material on the current status and use of those resources. But its primary value will be as a source of provocative ideas to exercise the minds of fishery and aquaculture managers at all scales, from individual entrepreneurs to international treaty negotiators. The book is smartly produced in large format (22 x 28.5 cm), clearly illustrated, two columns of text to the page, and with photographs of the authors at the head of each chapter. JOHN THORPE Freshwater Fisheries Laboratory Pitlochry Perthshire PH16 5LB (Great Britain)
INTEGRATED FARMING
Research and Education for the Development of Integrated Crop-Livestock-Fish Farming Systems in the Tropics. P. Edwards, R.S.V. Pullin, and T.A. Gartner. ICLARM Studies and Reviews 16, International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management, Manila, The Philippines. 1988. 53 pp., ISBN 971-1022-46-X (paperback), US$6.00. The integrated farming system, incorporating agriculture, animal husbandry and aquaculture, is a classic example of byproduct recycling. Crop wastes and byproducts from agriculture form the feed for livestock (cattle, pigs and poultry) whose manure in turn becomes the input for fish pond fertilization. The livestock manure promotes in the pond a rich growth of phytoplankton and zooplankton, the natural food of many cultured fishes. Essentially Chinese in origin, the practice of integrated farming is most prevalent in Southeast Asia, although no more than 1% of the small-scale farmers appear to be involved. The authors of this book, or booklet rather, are very enthusiastic about the great potential of integrated farming and would like to see more and more small-scale farmers in tropical, third-world countries adopt integrated farming methods. The authors point out that a sound scientific research base is yet to be developed for integrated farming which for centuries had been based completely on the experiences of the practising farmer. They suggest areas of research that need to be taken up for improving the efficiency of the system. The kind of education and training required by the farmer to adopt integrated farming methods is also discussed at length. Considering that the system utilizes inputs from biological, agricultural and social sciences, the authors rightly advocate
a systems approach for such a study, and present as a model, the Master’s Degree program in Agricultural Systems offered at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand. Also given is a list of institutions in various countries with current or potential interests in research and education for the development of integrated farming systems. By no means an exhaustive treatise, this publication should nevertheless serve as an ideal primer for the multidisciplinary field of integrated farming. T.R. RAO Department of Zoology University of Delhi Delhi 110007 (India)
AQUACULTURE ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGIES FOR THE FUTURE
Aquaculture Engineering Technologies for the Future. M. Walker (Editor). The Institute of Chemical Engineers, Symposium Series 111. EFCE Publication Series 66. Hemisphere Publishing Corporation, New York, NY, 1988. 418 pp,, ISBN O-89116-945-8, US$l25.00. There has been a considerable worldwide expansion in commercial aquaculture during the last decade or more and the products of this valuable industry are becoming increasingly important in meeting the demand for food from the aquatic environment. These developments have largely been fuelled by significant advances in our knowledge of the biology and environmental requirements of a wide range of aquatic organisms. This is, of course, a pre-requisite of successful culture, but one which must be accompanied by a detailed consideration of the means by which the required conditions can be provided if reliable and efficient production is to be achieved. There can be little doubt that design faults of aquaculture installations have been a major cause of failure and financial loss. This book will serve not only as a source of reference but to increase awareness of the importance of engineering as a discipline in the development of aquaculture systems. The papers contained in the book were among those presented at a conference organised by the Institute of Chemical Engineers Aquaculture Engineering Subject Group held at the University of Stirling, Scotland, in June 1988. The quality of presentations to symposia is inevitably variable, not least because authors offer papers for reasons other than having something worthwhile to say! For members of the research community, for example, attendence may depend on having a paper accepted while those in the commercial sector may seek the opportunity to publicise their products and/or expertise. The