Cooperation programs and agricultural rural developmen:Development of clam culture for improvement and diversification of livelihoods of the poor coastal communities in Central Vietnam - MS10 " pot

• Finalise the agreements with stakeholders farmers, provincial local government Extension centres and ARSINC • Prepare the technical guide lines for clam hatchery and production for far

Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development

027/05VIE

Development of clam culture for improvement and diversification of livelihoods of the poor coastal communities in Central Vietnam

April to October 2008

Table of Contents

1 Institute Information 1

2 Contact Officer(s) 1

3 Project Abstract 2

4 Executive Summary 2

4 Project Implementation Progress 3

4.1 Key Highlights 3

4.2 Key outcome 3

5 Introduction & Background 3

5.1 Specific objectives 3

5.2 Outputs 4

6 Progress to Date 4

6.1 Implementation Highlights 4

6.1.1 Details of the farmers selected for the on farm trials 4

6.1.2 Agreement with farmer and local extension departments 6

6.1.3 Production clam spat for on farm trials 7

6.1.4 ‘On farm’ trials 8

6.2 Propagation of the technologies 12

6.3 Smallholder Benefits 13

6.3.1 Opportunity to utilise the brackish water ponds for clam production 13

6.3.2 Increasing in production and benefit from clam culture in the intertidal areas 13 6.3.3 Easily Applicable Farming Knowledge 13

6.3.4 Low Investment Risk 13

6.3.5 Maximizing Commercial Potential through Knowledge 13

6.4 Capacity Building 15

6.4.1 ARSINC 15

6.4.2 End-users 15

6.4.3 Enhanced reputation and relation ship with other institutions and collaborators 15

6.5 Publicity 15

6.6 Project Management 16

7 Report on Cross-Cutting Issues 16

7.1 Environment 16

7.2 Gender and Social Issues 16

8 Implementation & Sustainability Issues 16

8.1 Issues and Constraints 16

8.2 Options 16

8.3 Sustainability 16

11 Statutory Declaration 17 Appendix B 24 TECHNICAL GUIDELINE 24 HATCHERY PROTOCOL FOR CLAM (Meretrix lyrata) AT AQUACULTURE SUB- INSTITUTE FOR NORTH CENTRAL 24 Appendix 2 30 PRODUCTION MODEL OF CLAM (Meretrix lyrata) IN POND, INTERTIDAL AND ROTATIONAL CROP WITH PRAWNS 30

1 Institute Information

diversification of livelihoods of the poor coastal communities in Central Vietnam

(Project No: 027/05VIE)

Vietnamese Institution Aquaculture Research Sub-Institution for North

Central (ARSINC)

Vietnamese Project Team Leader Mr Chu Chi Thiet (Project Director)

Australian Organisation South Australian Research and Development

Institution (SARDI)

Australian Personnel Dr Martin S Kumar (Team Leader)

Dr Bennan Chen (Senior Scientist)

Completion date (original) February 2009

Completion date (revised)

2 Contact Officer(s)

In Australia: Team Leader

Position: Principal Scientist, and Program

Leader, Integrated Biosystems Integrated Resource Management and Biotechnology

Organisation South Australian Research and

Development Institution (SARDI) Email: kumar.martin@saugov.sa.gov.au

In Australia: Administrative contact

In Vietnam

This monthly report will focus on following:

• Selection of household for on farm trials in 6 Provinces within the project areas

• Finalise the agreements with stakeholders (farmers, provincial local government Extension centres and ARSINC)

• Prepare the technical guide lines for clam hatchery and production for farmer traning

• Production of clam spat for on farm trials

• Conducing ‘on farm’ trials at selected farms in the project areas

• Reporting the trial progress

Demonstration of clam production in ponds, intertidal areas and polyculture with prawns are in progress Preparation for initiating clam production as ration crop in prawn farms are underway

4 Project Implementation Progress

4.1 Key Highlights

Project progressed well in accordance with specified milestone The focus of the project during the last six months was to prepare the farmers and associated partners to participate in the on-farm trials Key activities include:

• Selecting household for on-farm trials in 6 Provinces within project areas

• Finalising the agreements on clam production demonstration with stakeholders (farmers, provincial local government Extension central and ARSINC)

• Prepare the technical guide lines for clam hatchery and production

• Production of clam spat for on-farm trials

• Initiating and conducting ‘on-farm’ trials

4.2 Key outcome

The workshop conducted to introduce clam production was well received by the farmers, extension department and local government officials and others who are associated with clam farming The details of the workshop were presented in the MS9 The farmers registered their interest in demonstration trials to be conducted in six provinces Based on the selection criteria, 6 farmers from each province have been selected for the demonstration A total of 36 lead farmers were selected for the trials which started in the month of May 2008

The agreement was finalised according to the discussion between ARSINC and farmers and Extension central of Provinces The content of agreement focused on the role of Farmers, ARSINC and extension departments in implementing on farm trials

More than 10 million spats have been produced by ARSINC for supplying to farmers for trails Traditionally farmers collected spats from wild and cultured in inertial areas

5 Introduction & Background

The main objective is to develop and extend the clam culture technology (hatchery and husbandry) to sustain livelihoods of poor coastal farmers in the North Central provinces: and to develop a strategy which contributes to sustainable aquatic environment management using clam aquaculture to improve prawn farm effluent utilisation The aims

of the proposed project are:

a) to provide poor fisher community an alternative income and food security;

b) to improve technological and extension capacity for the stakeholders; and

c) to reduce negative impacts of shrimp culture through implementation of a strategy for environmental management and waste utilisation of existing resources

5.1 Specific objectives

• to develop and extend the clam culture technology (hatchery and husbandry);

• to sustain livelihoods of poor coastal farmers in the North Central provinces; and

• to develop a strategy which contributes to sustainable aquatic environment management using clam aquaculture to improve prawn farm effluent utilization

- Produced and supplied required number of spats to farmers/households for

implementing the on farm trails

Presently these trials are progressing well

The visits by Australian Project Leader in April and September 2008 facilitated

• Planning of demonstration trials

• Selection of farmers for on farm trials

• Conducting the workshop with stakeholders for transfer of technology

• Initiating the on farm clam production trials

• Evaluating the preliminary trial results

6 Progress to Date

6.1 Implementation Highlights

6.1.1 Details of the farmers selected for the on farm trials

As indicated in the MS9 report, based on the prescribed selection criteria farmers were selected for on farm trials Technicians from ARSINC had visited the farmers and their farming facility to ensure that they were capable of participating in the on-farm trial Table 1: List of participants involved in the on-farm trial

1 Phung Van Dan Hoang Phu Commune, Hoang

Phu District, Thanh Hoa Province

Mobile: 0913115955

Intertidal culture

2 Le Van Hoanh Hoang Phu Commune, Hoang Pond culture

Phu District, Thanh Hoa Province

Mobile: 0913026168

3 Le Thanh Tung Quynh Thuan Commune,

Quynh Luu District, Nghe An Provice

Phone: 038865886;

Mobile: 01685114406

Pond culture

4 Le Xuan Hung Mai Phu Commune, Mai Loc

District, Ha Tinh Province Phone: 039846217

Mobile: 0912487697

- Pond culture

- Intertidal culture

5 Pham Ngoc Lam Thach Bang Commune, Loc

Ha District, Ha Tinh Province Mobile: 0935809496

- Pond culture

- Intertidal culture

6 Nguyen Duc Long Thach Bang Commune, Loc

Ha District, Ha Tinh Province Mobile : 0986597840

Pond culture

7 Nguyen Van Tinh Thach Bang Commune, Loc

Ha District, Ha Tinh Province Mobile : 0914442684

Pond culture

8 Nguyen Van Tam Ba Don Town, Quang Trach

District, Quang Binh Province Phone: 052511466;

Mobile: 01684341624

- Pond culture

- Intertidal culture

9 Nguyen Van Ky Trieu An Commune, Trieu

Phong District, Quang Tri Province

Mobile: 0988171028

Pond culture

10 Trung Huu Thu Gio Viet Commune, Gio Linh

District, Quang Tri Province Mobile: 0914178447

Pond culture

11 Nguyen Van Thanh Farmer from Phu Vang

District, Hue Province

Pond culture

12 Le Van Hung Farmer from Phu Loc District, Pond culture

6.1.2 Agreement with farmer and local extension departments

Agreement was signed between Project administrator (ARSINC) with local Extension Centre and farmers who are involved in the demonstration model of clam culture in pond The agreement clearly specifies the roles of all partners involved in the ‘on farm’ trials Key activities included in the agreements are listed below

a Role of local extension centers in the demonstration:

• The extension centers will provide input in selecting the household by

collecting the back ground information and verification of the farmer profile

• Monitoring the “on farm” trials is one of the key role played by the centers

• Local extension centers shall also provide in put in planning the

demonstration execution in their province

• Extension officers shall visit the demonstration farm fortnightly to ensure that the farmer have been following the farming model in accordance with the technique prescribed by ARSINC

• Extension officer shall send data on-farm trials performance to ARSINC fortnightly

• Covey feed back from farmers associated with “on farm” trial to ARSINC

questionnaire will be used for this purpose

• Farmers shall participate in the meetings and workshop conducted by

ARSINC and provincial extension department

c ARSINC roles

• ARSINC shall organise the technology transfer through training on clam culture in pond as well as in intertidal areas to Extension Central staffs and farmer before running on-farm trials

• ARSINC shall ensure the supplying of quality and quantity clam seed required for undertaking on-farm trial

• ARSINC shall send technical staff once in 15 days (fortnightly) for evaluating the progress of the demonstration and also to ensure the farmer has been fulfilling the requirement of project

• ARSINC shall coordinate demonstration

• ARSINC shall take the responsibility of data complying, data analysis and reporting

• In cooperation with Vietnamese Extension Centre ARSINC shall organise conference or workshop to report results from demonstration

6.1.3 Production clam spat for on farm trials

As a part of the project activities, ARSINC collaborated with some private hatcheries in Thanh Hoa (Marine Seed Production Central, Hoang Thanh Commune, Hoang Hoa District), Ho Chi Minh (Van Xuan Technical College) and Ninh Binh (Hai Tuan Ltd Company, Kim Son Commune, Kim Bang District) Provinces to produce clam spat for demonstration The collaboration is not only produced the spat but also transferring the hatchery technology developed by ARSINC/SARDI to the provinces These private hatcheries and ARSINC will provide clam spat for on farm trials With the increased capacity, the demand for clam spat as the proposed in the project will be met In year 3 the clam spat demand is around 10 million

Fig 1: Private clam hatchery in Kim Son, Ninh Binh working in collaboration with

CARD project

Fig 2: Clam hatchery in Thanh Hoa province working in collaboration with CARD

As reported in the MS7 ARSINC produced around 6.5 million spat until 2007 These

clam were supplied to demonstration trials The number spat produced in 2008 from May

to September is estimated about 12 million These spats were transferred to wild culture

areas (intertidal culture) in Hau Loc District, Thanh Hoa Province for further grow out

These spats will be ready for commercial stocking (demonstration) in 2 months time The

spats produced in the year 2008 would continue to grow for the use of next period culture

and part of it will be used for rotational culture (additional crop in prawn farm)

demonstration starting in November 2008 Technical guidelines prepared for hatchery

techniques for the use farmer/hatchery operator is attached in appendix B

Table 2: Summary of spat production produced under hatchery conditions

Batch No No of spats

(x 1000)

Average of survival rate (%)

Period of implementation

6.1.4 ‘On farm’ trials

On-farm trial started in May 2008 A total of 24 farmers participated in the initial

demonstration trials in two models of clam production including pond culture and

intertidal clam rearing The farmers involved in on-farm trials had already participated

in the technical training and study tour program, which was organized by project team

This was reported in the last six monthly report (refer MS9) The list of farmers

participating in the demonstration trial and their particulars are provided in the table 3

The table 3 provided the information of the farmers engaged in demonstration trials in

different clam culture models, area used, stoking size and density

A template was prepared for the recording of data on pond/intertidal clam culture

including environmental parameters, growth of clam and mortality Technical guidelines

for clam production models were prepared (Appendix C) for farmer training

Table 3: Household involved in on farm trials from June 2008

No Full mane and

address

Culture model Culture area

(ha) and stocking density

Stocking size and density (clam/m 2 )

1 Phung Van Dan Intertidal culture 0.4 ha; 120clams/m2

3 Le Thanh Tung - Pond culture

- Intertidal culture

0.2 ha; 90clams/m20.4 ha; 120clams/m2

4 Le Xuan Hung - Intertidal culture 0.7 ha; 120clams/m2

5 Pham Ngoc Lam - Pond culture

- Intertidal culture

0.3 ha; 90clams/m20.5 ha; 120clams/m2

11 Nguyen Van Thanh Pond culture 0.25 ha; 90clams/m2

13 Nguyen Van An Intertidal culture 2 ha ha; 120clams/m2

16 Nguyen Thi Ngoc Pond culture 0.35 ha; 90clams/m2

17 Ngo Xuan Dai Intertidal culture 0.7 ha; 120clams/m2

18 Phan Thi Thuan Intertidal culture 0.4 ha; 120clams/m2

19 Nguyen Van Tho Intertidal culture 0.5 ha; 120clams/m2

20 Tran Van Nguyen Intertidal culture 0.3 ha; 120clams/m2

21 Nguyen Van Hoang intertidal culture 0.5 ha; 120clams/m2

22 Nguyen Van Dich - Pond culture

- Intertidal culture

0.25 ha; 90clams/m20.3 ha; 120clams/m2

23 Nguyen Van Ha Intertidal culture 0.5 ha; 120clams/m2

Table 4: The information on investigation and output from clam culture

Name of the farmer

4 Pond preparation labour

5 Nets for fencing m

Salinity Turbidity Notes/

Date/month Problems Measures applied

for resolving the problem

Note

Fig 3: Demonstration trial in Thanh Hoa Province –pond culture

Fig 4: Demonstration trial in Hue province- prawn and clam polyculture

Brief information about environmental parameters and growth rate clams from the

demonstration in progress has been presented in the following tables ( -) More details

of the demonstration will be presented in the next report

Table:8 Environmental parameter in pond and intertidal areas

Intertidal

Table: 9 Grow rate of clam according to percentage from initial

6.2 Propagation of the technologies

‘On farm’ trials of clam culture had started from May 2008 Following models have been tested in six provinces

• Clam culture in ponds (new technique developed by CARD project)

• Clam culture in inter tidal area using techniques developed by the CARD project

The preparation for initiating rotation culture of clam in prawn farms has been completed This demonstration of this culture model will start in November

communities in the North Central coast It is also provides alternative opportunity to farmers to diversify the aquaculture product

Project also introduced new opportunity in the hatchery industry Farmers were mainly relied clam seed from wiled collection This project provided opportunity for a new hatchery enterprise by providing technology for clam breeding and producing artificial spat

6.3.2 Increasing in production and benefit from clam culture in the intertidal areas

The success of intertidal trials provides data base and primary knowledge to build a technical guideline for clam grows out Appropriate stocking density and stocking size will provide higher productivity, reduce the operation cost and bring in higher benefit

6.3.3 Easily Applicable Farming Knowledge

Factors such as stocking density and salinity are within the capabilities of smallholder end-users to monitor and manipulate By focusing upon the research and understanding

of the impact of such factors on survival and growth of M lyrata and its larvae, the teams

at ARSINC are building the knowledge base for farming practices that can be applied by smallholders

6.3.4 Low Investment Risk

The focus on low-cost, reliable production and hatchery techniques and infrastructure provide for low investment risk to the smallholder and smallholder communities

6.3.5 Maximizing Commercial Potential through Knowledge

The following table summarizes the implications of the knowledge generated by this project for the smallholder’s commercial production potential

Table 10 Technology Implications for M lyrata Commercial Production

Farming

Component

Knowledge Implications for Commercial Production

Production Density • Farmers need to know optimum stocking

density that provide for maximum productivity per m2 pond area

substrate clam can be grown on as this may affect farmers of different regions where there

is different soil type Influent / Effluent /

Polyculture Pond System

• An influent pond system may be useful for water treatment prior to prawn culture use in places where water quality is not good enough for prawn culture

• An effluent pond system may be useful for prawn culture to reduce pollution and enable more sustainable prawn culture

• A combination of both pond systems (polyculture) would be useful to supplement farmer income (both prawn and clam) as well

as provide for sustainable aquaculture and/or bio-remediation of prawn farming areas Hatchery Spat Production

Technology for M lyrata clam culture

• Easy to use, low-cost indigenous (developed

by ARSINC) system that can be implemented

on farms or in regional cooperatives

• Reduce collection of spats from wild so as to reduce ecological impact along Vietnam coastline

Hatchery /

Broodstock

Conditioning

Algae feed composition • Enable hatcheries and regional cooperatives

to culture feedstocks (using pure cultures from ARSINC and other government suppliers) for hatcheries to use in their spat production

• Enable farmers to create their own broodstock Hatchery /

Larvae

Rearing

Stocking density survival / growth rates

• Enable regional hatcheries to achieve optimal larvae rearing productivity

growth rates • Enable regional hatcheries to achieve optimal

larvae rearing productivity, controlling salinity if necessary

Days to Settlement • Enable regional hatcheries to know how many

production cycles can be achieved per season and how to increase frequency of spat

production

Breeding /

Spawning Breeding / Spawning

Inducement Factors

• Enable regional hatcheries to know what factors induce breeding and spawning, that can be controlled by the hatchery

6.4 Capacity Building

6.4.1 ARSINC

At least 6 technical staff directly involved in the project activities had the opportunity to improve their knowledge, experience in both hatchery and grow out /production of clam culture Presently, ARSINC has the capability of designing, operational and management aspects of both commercial grow-out and seed production

Researchers of ARSINC involved in this project had the chance to approach updated research methodology and gain more experience in research, design, implementation and reporting as well as international communication

There were 2 students, one from University of Vinh, one from Ha Noi Agriculture

University have completed their B.Sc thesis on clam hatchery production under

ARSINC/SARDI supervision These students successfully defended their B.Sc thesis and achieved excellent results

This year, one project staff has been studying M.Sc course will use one of subject of project for his thesis The thesis will be focused on spat production

6.4.2 End-users

Due to the result of experiment of the project, at least 30 farmers from six province were participated the workshop, training courses and field trip So they have chance to improve their knowledge about clam culture, spat production and other activities in aquaculture

6.4.3 Enhanced reputation and relation ship with other institutions and collaborators

The project activities have been well introduced and have good comments from scientific committee of ARSINC This accelerates collaboration and contribution from other projects implementing within ARSINC and RIA1 e.g NORAD funded project and AIDA project

6.5 Publicity

There are no published any Research papers in this six monthly activities