TITLE:
Survey of Climate-Related Risks to Tilapia Pond Farms in Northern Thailand
AUTHORS:
Pornpimol Pimolrat, Niwooti Whangchai, Chanagun Chitmanat, Jongkon Promya, Louis Lebel
KEYWORDS:
Climate; Tilapia Pond Culture; Aquaculture; Thailand
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.4 No.5B,
October
11,
2013
ABSTRACT: Climate is an important factor for aquaculture
production. This study aimed to understand how farmers that culture tilapia in
earthen ponds perceive and respond to climate impacts. Important
climate-related risks identified include extreme temperatures (hot and cold),
excessive rainfall, prolonged cloud cover, flood and drought. Site visits and
data collection using questionnaires were conducted to identify important
factors influencing farm profits, losses, decision to increase or decrease ponds.
Special attention was given to knowledge about fish markets and weather and the
impacts of weather and climate on fish growth, disease outbreaks and water
quality in ponds. Altogether 585 fish farms in four provinces in northern part
of Thailand selected to cover a range of elevations above sea level and thus
climate were surveyed (Nakornsawan 500 m). Fish farms at different elevations
reported different climate and weather-related impacts. In the area where
elevation above sea level is 500 were impacted mainly by drought and cold weather.
These conditions also caused disease outbreaks and reduced feeding rates.
Farmers responded by reducing the amount of feed supplied and considering
non-fish pond or non-farm supplementary occupations as an adaptation strategy.
Among non-climate related factors high prices of feed were most commonly
identified as a key issue by farmers. The differences among sites at higher and
lower elevation provided insights into the kind of changes in risks farmers may
face as climate changes that could be helpful in developing adaptation
strategies for individual farmers and the sector as a whole.