Grow-out culture of tilapia in brackishwater ponds

Abstract

In 2022, DA-NFRDI pioneered the establishment of the AquaBiz School (ABS) and Technology Business Incubation (TBI) through the Department of Agriculture’s Agri-Industrial Business Corridors (ABCs). The program provides a venue for educational and research services, particularly in development extension services related to business and entrepreneurship setup. The program highlights aquaculture technologies, transformed into 17 package of technologies (PoTs) for business enterprises including maliputo, tilapia, milkfish, ornamental fish, mangrove crab, sea cucumber, oyster, and abalone, aimed to generate job opportunities and improve livelihoods, especially of fisherfolks. Beneficiaries are capacitated through training and monitoring of key production performance data to monitor program success. The establishment and operation of ABS are continuously promoted with the hopes of scaling up the TBI in other areas across the country.

One of these PoTs is the tilapia grow-out production in brackishwater ponds. This mature technology, promoted by NFRDI in collaboration with BFAR-X and the LGU of Lala, Lanao del Norte, is being explored for further adoption and refinement through the ABS-TBI Project of NFRDI. The PoT includes key components such as the use of sex-reversed fingerlings, appropriate stocking density, efficient feeding strategies, pond and water quality management, fish health management, and timely harvesting and marketing. This comprehensive approach aims to improve production efficiency, enhance fish survival, and reduce operational costs while ensuring environmental sustainability.