VIET NAM shrimp ben tre SUMMARY

Summary highlights of findingsProject Title Pilot testing of indicators for measuring the contribution of small-scale aquaculture SSA to sustainable rural development: A case study of in

Summary highlights of findings

Project Title

Pilot testing of indicators for measuring the contribution of small-scale aquaculture (SSA) to sustainable rural development: A case study of intensive tiger shrimp culture in Ben Tre Province, Vietnam

Objectives

To pilot test the Nha Trang SSA indicators to measure the contribution of intensive tiger shrimp culture in Ben Tre Province, Vietnam through a structured survey questionnaire

The case study will answer the following questions:

• Which indicators can be considered as good ones based on AME criteria

• From the perspective of sustainable livelihoods framework, which indicators demonstrated the most contributions

• From the perspective of data sources, which indicators presented difficulties or limitations in terms of obtaining data/information that were essential in the analysis, and thus

• From the perspective of methodology used (concrete evidence, robustness, replicability, up-scaling)

Methodology

Project team composition

Table 1: Project team composition

1 Kim Anh Thi Nguyen Team Leader Associate Professor, PhD in Economics, NTU

2 Thu Nga Thi Tran Team member, Aquaculturist, Ben Tre Department of Agriculture

3 Dung Van Nguyen Team member Aquaculturist, Ben Tre Department of Agriculture

4 Dien Van Nguyen Team member Social Scientist, Ben Tre Fisheries Extention Center,

Ben Tre Department of Agriculture

5 Khanh Tran Team member Economist, NTU

6 Hong Thai Le Tran Team member MSc student, NTU

7 Ngan Thanh Le Team member MSc student, NTU

Brief description of SSA in the country, selection of SSA type and study site, and some info on the selected SSA with respect to the overall SSA of the country

Figure 1: Vietnam map

Vietnam has 3,260 km of coastline, with 112 estuaries, large bodies of straits, coastal lakes, lagoons and a complex system of rivers and reservoirs These features give Vietnam 1.7 million hectares of cultured surface area (Ministry of Fisheries, 1999), demonstrating the potential to be a strong operator in global aquaculture Since the mid 90s, aquaculture has scored substantial advancements on various fronts, with respect to enlargement of production areas, employment of new culture methods such as improved extensive and super intensive, diversification of high-valued species As indicated by official statistical data, the total volume of cultured products almost doubled within a 5-year period, from 844,800 tonnes in

2002 to 1,694,200 tonnes in 2006, at the average growth rate of 19% per year This rate stands at seven fold as high as that of the marine capture, which registered at 2.7% per year during the same period It can be demonstrated in Table 2 below

Looking further beyond the national border, it is evident that Vietnam fisheries and aquaculture have achieved an impressive growth rate relative to the global average This is especially true with aquaculture where both production areas and volumes go up substantially

Table 3 suggests that the increase in cultured products has occurred in consistence with the enlargement

of water bodies for cultured activities What needs to be mentioned is that the production growth rate comes at a faster pace as a result of improved productivity in aquaculture Simply put, during the period from 2002 to 2006, the total area of production sites was extended by 23.4 % whereas volume reported a growth rate of 100.5 %

Table 2: Fisheries Total Output of Vietnam between 2001-2006

Unit: 1,000 tons

Marine Capture 1,724.8 1,802.6 1,856.1 1,940.0 1,987.9 2,001.7

Total output 2,434.7 2,647.4 2,859.2 3,142.5 3,465.9 3,695.9

Source: http://www.gso.gov.vn/default.aspx?tabid=390&idmid=3&ItemID=6125

In Vietnam, the largest share of cultured production was contributed by the Mekong Delta Region, representing around 51.4 – 54.6% of the whole portion nationwide

In the overall picture, shrimp has emerged as the breadwinner of the whole industry due to its high export values According to data released by the General Statistics Office and the Fisheries Information Centre, during the period of 2001-2006, in terms of volume, cultured shrimps made up of 22.3% of the entire aqua-products whereas in terms of value, its share amounts to 48.5%

Across the spectrum, the scale and value of aquaculture operations have been largely attributed to the rapid growth of black tiger shrimp, which has been so far targeted as the main cultured species Let’s say, black tiger shrimp production was 290,501 tonnes, having a total value of VND 12,859.5 billion (US$

795 millions), accounting for more than 98% brackish shrimps cultured in 2004

Table 3: Scale, Rate of Growing Aquaculture Area and Production in Vietnam

between 2002-2006

Quantity (1,000 ha)

Growth rate (%)

Quantity (1,000 tons)

Growth rate (%)

Comparison 06/02

Annual Average

+186.7

-123.4 105.5

+ 849.4

-200.5 119.0

Source: http://www.gso.gov.vn/default.aspx?tabid=390&idmid=3&ItemID=6125

Figure 2: Ben Tre province map

Ben Tre is a Mekong Delta province with a dense network of rivers and canals originated from the Mekong River With advantages from natural condition, Ben Tre aquaculture has made substantial development, especially in black tiger shrimp farming Until late 1980s shrimp farming started in three districts: Binh Dai, Ba Tri and Thanh Phu People in these districts began with extensive, and improved extensive farming Through time, people have expanded their investment from traditional extensive farming to improved extensive one In 1999 Ben Tre Department of Fisheries co-operated with Aquaculture Research Institute No 2 to successfully carry out intensive black tiger shrimp project in

Thanh Phuoc Commune, Binh Dai District From then, black tiger farming began to develop fast in Binh Dai District and all over Ben Tre Province

Sampling

The data was collected, using face-to-face questionnaires The questionnaires were completed by

102 households taking part in intensive tiger shrimp culture in Binh Dai district, Ben Tre province, Vietnam

The face-to-face interviews were conducted by two aquaculturists and two Nha Trang University master students in Ben Tre, Vietnam The interviewers were selected based on their experience of aquaculture and good understanding of the study area Training was given to all enumerators before they undertook the survey

Time-line

Table 4: Time-line

No Activities Number

of days 1

st month 2 nd month 3 rd month 4 th month

1 Assembling of Project Team 5

2 Review of status of SSA and

selection of study site 10

3 Development of

4 Pre-testing of data gathering

5

Development of survey

design (sampling frame,

approach)

8

7 Analysis of results 30

9 Report writing 17

Results

1 Location of study sites

Figure 3: Binh Dai district map

2 Indicators for assessing the contribution of SSA to sustainable rural development

Table 5: Indicators for assessing the contribution of intensive tiger shrimp culture to sustainable

rural development in Ben Tre, Vietnam

Natural capital

1 Efficient use of

materials and energy

saving

1 Types and Number of nutrient flows

2 Efficient use of water 2 Number of farm production

uses of water

% of farms managed water system and waste water

97.1% of farms managed water sources and 52.9 % of farms managed waste water

% of farms used bio-substances Most of the households (83.3%) used bio-substances

Physical capital

3 Build up of SSA farm

and farm assets in rural

area

3 Number of SSA farms and farm assets increased over 3 years in the study area

SSA farm areas increased over 3 years: from 44.91 ha (2006)

to 47.76 ha (2007) and 48.65 ha (2008)

4&5 Build up of rural

physical assets

4&5 Types and number of rural infrastructure investment induced by SSA and induced not purposely for SSA but benefit SSA

Rural infrastructure investment induced for SSA as follows: water supply and drainage system (82.4%), road (64.0%), electricity system (38.8%), family water system (22.2%), telephone system ( 22.5%) … and induced not purposely for SSA but benefit SSA: natural water sources (65.7%), road (64.1%), electricity system (42.2%),…

Human capital

6 Food and nutrition

security

6 Per capita annual consumption of fish in SSA household (Only fish for their own SSA harvest.)

Is SSA income enough for food and nutrition?

Almost the amount of shrimp harvested is sold to the middlemen/wholesaler since its price is rather high The income from shrimp farming has covered all the household expenses including food and nutrition and they also had a saving

7 Seasonal food security

7 Is there season in a year when household much relies on their own harvest than on fish from other sources?

Shrimp farming lasts 3.96 months per year on average, however aquaculture income per year per household VND 50,447,279 ($ 3,153) was much more than household expenses per year VND 35,501,931 ($ 2,218) In addition a percentage of households looked for other works during the remaining time (37.3% of households earned income from non-aquaculture)

Financial capital

8 Household cash

income

8 % of cash income from SSA

to total household cash income

Some households depended entirely on aquaculture income (44 households, 43.1%) In 2008, percentage of aquaculture income to total income was 66%.

9 SSA serves as a source

of household economic

security

9 Economic return from SSA

to household

In 2008, 80 households had profit from SSA (78.4% of the households), the average profit per household was VND 50,447,279 per year

10 Contribution to

provincial economy

10 % of economic value from SSA production to the value of production from all aquaculture

in the province

From the statistic data, compared to total fisheries output of the whole district, black tiger shrimp output remained dominant In 2005 it was 13.039 MT /24.754 MT; 2006: 12.332 MT/27.121MT; 2007: 14.091MT/33.548 MT The black tiger shrimp is one of the aquaculture products sold at high price Hence, percentage of economic value from black tiger shrimp production to the value of production from all aquaculture in the district was more than 50%.

Social capital

11 Social participation

11 % of farm households are active members of SSA programs/ associations/

organizations

There are 2 organizations that influenced on SSA in Ben Tre:

- 67.6% of households took part actively in aquaculture managing program.

- 58.8% of wives participated in woman association

12 Women

empowerment

12 % of number of SSA farm activities in which women take the major decision-making role

Women took the major decision making role concerning SSA farm activities with high percentage such as: selling and allocation of harvest (52.3%) and household expenses (85.6%) Besides, record keeping and budgeting (40.9%), farm input procurement (32.0%), farm management and operation (27.1%) and establishing the farm enterprise (30.3%)

13 Fostering social

harmony

13.1 Number of SSA households that share fish products and other farm resources

52.9% of households that shared knowledge activities, 48.0% harvest, 27.5% fingerlings/seedlings, and 15.7% labor

13.2 Number of activities in which farmers work together as

to improve the shared resources

in the community (such as water system, road and reservoir)

Farmers worked together as to improve the roads was 32.4%, maintain the irrigation canals was 27.5%

14 Part of a long term

livelihood strategy

14 % of households still farming

100% of farmers interviewed are still farming In addition, 11.8% of households extended the areas in 2009.

% of household members participated in SSA 73.6% of husbands and 51.1% of wives participated in SSA

% of children go to school Most of the children under 18 years old (87.5%) go to school

3 Species and systems

Black tiger shrimp, SSA type II, farm area per household is under 1ha

Analysis

1 Indicators can be considered as good indicators based on AME criteria

According to the results, the indicators that can be considered as good indicators based on AME criteria for intensive tiger shrimp in Ben Tre, Vietnam are shown through the following table

Table 6: Indicators can be considered as good indicators for tiger shrimp in Ben Tre, Vietnam

Natural capital

2 Efficient use of water % of farms manage water system and waste water

Physical capital

3 Build up of SSA farm and farm assets in rural area 3 SSA farm areas increased over 3 years

4&5 Build up of rural physical assets 4&5 Types and number of rural infrastructure investment induced

by SSA and induced not purposely for SSA but benefit SSA

Human capital

6 Food and nutrition security Is SSA income enough for food and nutrition?

7 Seasonal food security 7 Is there season in a year when household much relies on their

own harvest than on fish from other sources?

Financial capital

8 Household cash income 8 % of cash income from SSA to total household cash income

9 SSA serves as a source of household economic

security 9 Economic return from SSA to household

10 Contribution to provincial economy 10 % of economic value from SSA production to the value of

production from all aquaculture in the province

Social capital

11 Social participation 11 % of farm households are active members of SSA programs/

associations/ organizations

12 Women empowerment 12 % of number of SSA farm activities in which women take the

major decision-making role

13 Fostering social harmony

13.1 Number of SSA households that share fish products and other farm resources

13.2 Number of activities in which farmers work together as to improve the shared resources in the community (such as water system, road and reservoir)

14 Part of a long term livelihood strategy 14 % of households still farming

% of household members participate in SSA

2 From the perspective of sustainable livelihoods framework, which indicators provided the most contributions

From the perspective of sustainable livelihoods framework, the indicators that provided the most contributions are presented as follows

- Black tiger shrimp farm areas increased over 3 years (Indicator 3: number of SSA farms and farm areas increased over a period of time)

Table 7: Area and number of black tiger shrimp ponds

In the study area, number of tiger shrimp ponds and their farm areas increased over 3 years In 2006, there were 150 ponds, 159 ponds in 2007 and 164 ponds in 2008 This means there was more than one

pond per household Together with an increase in black tiger shrimp ponds, their farm areas also increased from 44.91 ha (2006) to 47.76 ha (2007) and 48.65 ha (2008)

- Infrastructure in the district that farmer uses for/ benefit to black tiger shrimp (Indicator 4&5: types and number of rural infrastructure investments induced by SSAs/not purposely for SSAs but benefit SSAs)

Figure 4: Infrastructure in the district that farmer uses for/ benefit to SSA

Basing on the development of black tiger shrimp culture in particular and SSA in general, the infrastructure in Binh Dai district has been invested better than the other ones in Ben Tre province, Vietnam Specifically, water system has been developed (82.4% of household said that there was water system induced for SSA), road has been also invested (64.0% of household said that there was road induced for SSA)

- Food and nutrition security/ Seasonal food security (Indicator 6/7)