Characteristics of Agriculture in the Caribbean

Question 1

What is Agriculture

Answer 1

Agriculture is the rearing of plants and animals to produce food for human use and consumption, animal consumption and raw materials for industry.

It can also be defined as the cultivation of soil and/or water to produce crops and livestock for human consumption and use, animal consumption and raw materials for industry.

Question 2

Characteristics of Peasant farming

Answer 2

• Small areas of land are cleared to plant crops. Usually the areas that are cleared are burned (slash and burn). Farmers tend to move from place to place.
• Does not use any input of agrochemicals and energy in the form of fossil fuels. This type of farming systems is not labour intensive.
• Productivity is very low
• Produce is consumed solely by the farmers and their families
• Does not use mechanised equipment in its operation.
• Does not require high levels of financing.

Question 3

Characteristics of Subsistence Farming

Answer 3

• Uses areas of land larger than peasant farming systems for cultivation
• May use small amounts of agrochemicals and energy in the form of fossil fuels. Is more labour intensive than peasant farming systems but less than commercial farming systems.
• Productivity is low
• Produce is consumed by the farmers and their immediate families. Excess produce is often sold
• Does not use mechanised equipment in its operation.
• Does not require high levels of financing.

Question 4

Characteristics of Commercial Farming

Answer 4

• Requires extremely large areas of land for cultivation. There is no burning of the area and the location of the farm is fixed.
• Uses large inputs of agrochemicals, energy in the form of fossil fuel and labour.
• Productivity is very high. Produces high yields per unit of farmland area.
• Products are mainly produced for selling to make a profit.
• Uses mechanised equipment in its operation.
• Requires high levels of financing.

Question 5

Factors contributing to the evolution of agriculture systems in the Caribbean

Answer 5

Climate: The tropical climate in the Caribbean provides conditions that are conducive to planting, growing and harvesting crops and the rearing of livestock

Availability of land and fertility of soils: There is a lot of fertile land in Caribbean countries that is suitable for the cultivation of crops and the practice of aquaculture.

History: Historically, Caribbean countries have been engaged in the production of different crops and livestock. Flat fertile land, access to fresh water and ports have all favoured agricultural production in many Caribbean countries.

Labour: In many Caribbean countries people have been engaged in peasant or subsistence farming. The populations of many countries are adequate to support farming activities.

Question 6

How does Agriculture impact on the lifestyle of Caribbean people

Answer 6

In the Caribbean, most agricultural communities are rural. Ofte nactivitie are centred on working and tending to agricultural plots. Sometimes it can affect children’s attendance at school as they often have to work on farms.
very often a substantial percentage of the population of some rural communities are directly employed in agricultural activities as farmers, processors and in the transport sector. The lifestyle of the population is therefore based on such jobs and the earnings from these jobs.

Question 7

Aquaculture

Answer 7

Aquaculture is defined by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as the farming of aquatic organisms including fish, molluscs, crustaceans ad aquatic plants. Farming implies some type of intervention in the rearing process to enhance production, such as regular stocking, feeding and protection from predators. The term aquaculture encompasses freshwater farming of aquatic species. Aquaculture may be either intensive or extensive

Question 8

Intensive and Extensive Aquaculture

Answer 8

Intensive aquaculture: requires heavy inputs of fertilisers and feed, has high stocking densities and produces high yields per unit area.

Extensive aquaculture: requires low stocking densities, but does not require supplemental feed or fertilisers.

Over the years there has been an increase in aquaculture activities in the Caribbean. Some of the factors that have contributed to this increase include:
- the continuously rising cost of fishing operations due to the steep rise in the price of fuel.
- a decrease in the production of marine fish by countries that depend on fishing in either their own territorial waters or the territorial waters of other countries.
- a need to increase the foreign exchange earnings of Caribbean countries engaging in aquaculture.

Question 9

Objectives of Aquaculture in Caribbean Countries

Answer 9

• Production of protein-rich, nourishing, palatable and easily digestible human food benefiting the whole of society through plentiful food supplies at low or reasonable cost.
• Providing new species and strengthening stocks of existing fish into natural and man-made water bodies through artificial recruitment and transplantation.
• Production of species to support recreational fishing.
• Development of industries that can create a production surplus for export to increase foreign exchange earnings.

Question 10

Mariculture and its Features

Answer 10

Mariculture is the production of food from exclusively marine organisms in their natural environment. While the form of aquaculture is relatively new, it has already become important and still has great potential. Fish produced by mariculture are regarded as a good source of affordable protein. Mariculture is growing in popularity in some Caribbean countries because of the high demand for seafood.

Features of Mariculture:
- It is conducted in either brackish water or in the marine environment, depending on the species that is cultivated.

• Organisms grown often feed on naturally occurring food sources such as algae and plankton. This helps to reduce the cost of production.
• The organisms grown are generally spared human-induced stressors since there is no transfers between the artificial and natural environments.
• The practice of mariculture usually requires large areas of the sea or coastal environment if the venture is to be economically viable.

Question 11

Advantages and Disadvantages of Mariculture

Answer 11

Advantages:
- It can provide an alternate source of protein from marine species even as the cost of production from commercial operations increases.
- It can produce high yields of fish protein at low cost and can be sustainable
- It requires small inputs of food, machinery, time and anergy compared to commercial operations.
- It is an excellent opportunity for small Caribbean countries to provide protein for their population while generating a surplus for revenue generation.
- As a relatively new industry in some Caribbean countries, it can provide an alternative source of income for people and help address unemployment in these countries.

Disadvantages:
- Excess organic matter settles on the seabed and results in an increase in the populations of bacteria, which could be determined to other species.
- An increase in organic matter can promote eutrophication thereby affecting the water quality, which ultimately reduces the productivity of the aquatic environment and the cultured species.

Question 12

Food Security and Agro-processing

Answer 12

The role of agriculture in food security in the Caribbean:
Food security is defined as a condition in which all people, at all times. have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritous food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Question 13

Five Components of Food Security

Answer 13

1. Availability: implies that there is sufficient food for all people at all times.
2. Accessibility: addresses the physical and economic access to food for all at all times.
3. Adequacy: is access to food that is nutritious and safe, and produced in environmentally sustainable ways.
4. Acceptability: is about access to culturally acceptable food, which is produced and obtained in ways that do not compromise people’s dignity, self-respect or human rights.
5. Agency: refers to the policies and processes that enable food security to be achieved.

Question 14

Factors Affecting Food Security

Answer 14

• A decline in the productivity of land, labour and management, which often reduces the capacity to produce agriculture products at competitive prices.
• A decline in earnings from traditional export crops, resulting from changes in trade preferences.
• Trade regulations and other policies that affect the global marketplace for agricultural products.
• A growing dependence on imported foods and cheap agricultural products, which is often worsened by external shocks such as global market and price fluctuations.
• The inefficient use of water and other inputs.
• A dependency on imported food, resulting from the inability to produce food locally at competitive prices.

Question 15

Production of materials for agro-processing industries

Answer 15

Agro-processing involves turning agricultural produce into products which can be marketed locally, nationally or exported. The employment opportunities provided by the agro-processing industry are numerous. They range from unskilled labour to people with professional qualifications.

In some Caribbean countries much of the agricultural produce is processed between harvesting and final use. Agro. processing industries that use agricultural products as raw materials comprise a very varied group. These may range from simple preservation by sun drying to operations that use technological harvesting techniques, to production by modern, capital-intensive methods.

Question 16

Agriculture and the Economy

Answer 16

Agriculture is very important to the economic development of many Caribbean countries and today agriculture production still accounts for a large part of the Gross National Product (GNP) and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of some Caribbean countries.

The importance of the sector is even greater when one considers that primary agricultural production has links with industrial processing and manufacturing activities, transport, marketing services and foreign trade. Population growth also brings about a rise in demand for agricultural products.

Question 17

Technology and Agricultural Productivity

Answer 17

Technology has enabled the successful practice of agriculture in the Caribbean over the years. Technological innovations have led to increased agricultural productivity, new and improved varieties and improved resistance to pests and diseases.

They are two key assumptions regarding the role of technology in agriculture:
- technology has and will continue to increase agricultural productivity.
- technology, if managed properly, can be the basis for sustainable agriculture

Question 18

Technological innovations that have aided Caribbean Agriculture

Answer 18

Use of Agrochemicals (fertilisers and pesticides): Fertiliser inputs can increase productivity by increasing the nutrients available to plants, thus promoting improved plant growth and production. Pesticides have been useful in curbing pest and disease outbreaks, which eventually leads to healthier crops and greater productivity.

Mechanisation: Mechanisation in agriculture has led to increased productivity through the use of larger and more efficient implements for cultivation and harvesting. Through mechanisation, uncultivated land can now be cultivated. Harvesting of crops using mechanised methods makes harvesting easier and less time consuming and minimises wastage, so increasing overall productivity. Mechanisation has also led to an increase overall productivity. Mechanisation has also led to an increase in the use of agrochemicals, which has promoted an increase in productivity.

Genetic Engineering: Genetic engineering has led to the identification of genes that determine favourable characteristics in crops and livestock. This technology has resulted in the development of transgenic organims and greater productivity. Crops can now be genetically engineered to tolerate different environmental conditions. With such improved tolerance, degraded farmlands can now become productive or be made more productive. Crops and livestock can now be engineered to have greater resistance to certain pests and diseases.

Question 19

The Impact of technology in Agriculture on the Environment

Answer 19

• Heavy reliance on agrochemicals to improve production and control damaging insects and weeds.
• Intensive soil manipulation to maintain crop productivity.
• Heavy reliance on external inputs of water. Irrigation allows year-round cropping of the same crop.
• Heavy reliance on external inputs of energy.
• Monocropping is thought to be better suited for large-scale mechanisation. However, it creates ideal condition for pests and adverse conditions for natural controls.

Question 20

Agrochemicals

Answer 20

The increased use of agrochemicals can lead to the development of resistance of pests and diseases to certain agrochemicals, thus reducing their effectiveness.

Leaching of fertilisers into water bodies can occur, leading to nutrient enrichment and contamination of water resources. Nutrient enrichment or eutrophication of waterways can lead tp progressively more complex problems in ecosystems. Food chain contamination, bioaccumulation and biomagnifications of toxic substances can also occur.

Question 21

Mechanisation

Answer 21

Using machinary often promotes an increased use of pesticides and fertilisers, which could lead to serious environmental problems. Mechanisartion can also lead to farm specialisation, thus eliminating less profitable crops, and resulting in farm amalgamation. This can have serious social consequences. mechanisation also often encourages monoculture cropping, which can increase the risk of pest outbreaks. This means more agrochemicals are necessary to rid the crops of the pest or disease. Excessive use of pesticides can lead to increased residues of these pesticides in crops and livestock, thereby posing a threat to human health and the ecosystem in general.
The use of heavy machinery in agriculture could also cause soil compaction, promote loss of soil structure and increase erosion. This could eventually affect plant growth and reduce productivity.

Question 22

What i Soil Compaction and why it is a problem for plant growth

Answer 22

Soil Compaction- A healthy soil is made up of large a amount pf pore space, organic matter and mineral particles. Pore space in soil provides adequate room for air and water to circulate around the mineral particles. This provides a healthy environment for plant roots and useful soil microbes. In a compacted soil, the particles are pressed together so tightly that the space for air and water is greatly reduced.

Why it is a problem for plant growth:
- roots cannot easily penetrate the soil to obtain the nutrients, water, and structural support they require.
- reduced pore space results in reduced drainage, causing the soil to become waterlogged.
- in waterlogged soils there is no room for oxygen, and this inhibits plant growth.
- the lack of oxygen also inhibits the decomposition of organic matter- an essential process for recycling nutrients and aerating the soil.
- compaction of the soil prevents water from percolating through the soil, causing it to run off the soil surface and increasing soil erosion.

Question 23

Health Risks from Agriculture

Answer 23

Many Caribbean countries face the challenge of developing sustainable food production systems. It is necessary to maintain a supply of healthy food at affordable prices. Doing this has led to an increasing use of agrochemicals and the implementation of practices that pose serious health risks to people and the environment. The ‘Green revolution’ itself led to:
- High-input monoculture, using selectively bred or genetically engineered crops.
- High yields, using high inputs of fertiliser and water and extensive use of pesticides.
-multiple cropping systems, where there is an increase in the number of crops grown per year on a plot of land.

Consequences:
- Over-application of fertilisers that can increase pollution through runoff onto water bodies, infiltration of aquifers and evaporation into the air. The nitrates and phosphates in fertilisers can cause health problems.
- waste runoff that increases nutrients and pathogens in streams.
-runoff that carries sediments, nutrients and pesticides into streams that damage fish and other aquatic organisms’ habitats.

Question 24

Threats to Sustainable Livelihood of Communities

Answer 24

agriculture plays a significant role in many communities in Caribbean countries. Although agriculture has helped meet the needs of these communities, there are instances where the practice of agriculture has compromised the availability of valuable natural resources.

There are two inextricably linked components to agricultural sustainability: social and environmental. The agricultural sector in the Caribbean has always played multiple roles in helping to:
- ensure food security
- promote rural development
- provide resources for the livelihood of the majority of people, without destroying the environmental base

A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets and activities required as a means to earn a living. A livelihood is said to be sustainable if it has the ability to:
- cope with, and recover from, stresses and shocks
- maintain or enhance its capabilities and assets
- provide net benefits to other livelihoods locally and more widely, now and in the future, without undermining the natural resource base

Question 25

Mechanisation of Agriculture and sustainable Livelihoods of Caribbean Communities

Answer 25

- Mechanisation can improve and modernise farming operations to improve production. - Rural farmers will need to be provided with adequate incentives for the development of indigenous design and manufacture of farm equipment to address their needs if they change to mechanised processes. - Rural farmers may find it too costly to repair and maintain facilities for machines and equipment. Therefore, the livelihoods of farmers can be affected if these issues are not adequately addressed. - Implementation of mechanised agriculture could result in jobs being lost, which could create social and other problems - mechanisation can directly or indirectly result in the loss of habitats and biodiversity on which many communities depend.

Question 26

Land Take and Agriculture

Answer 26

The small size and rugged topography of some of the Caribbean countries limits the amount of land available for agriculture. Different uses often compete for the limited space: human settlements, industry, tourism, mining, roads, ports and other infrastructure and agriculture among others. The challenges faced by many Caribbean countries to maintain food self-sufficiency and expand crop production for export to earn much-needed foreign exchange, have resulted in a need to farm more intensively and increase the amount of land being farmed. Over the years, there has been more land converted for agricultural purposes. This has caused agricultural lands to extend into unsuitable marginal areas. The over-use of good agricultural land has increased the instances of land degradation.

Question 27

What is 'land take'

Answer 27

'Land take' involves the clearance of areas for the practice of agriculture. THe extent of the land taken depends on the nature and scale of the agriculture enterprise. In the Caribbean where there is limited land, much attention should be focused on the loss of suitable agricultural lands. Land takr from forested areas makes space available for farmers to growm more food and provides more space for the grazing and rearing of animals. Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses. Economic benefits are also derived by the farmers through the selling or utilisation of the wood in the local or export market. The wood that is obtained from deforestation is also available and could be used to provide some energy for the farmers, thus reducing their energy bill.

Question 28

Impact of Land Take on the Environment

Answer 28

The environmental impact of land take can be minimal or substantial. It is the responsibility of all concerned to ensure that whilst maximising productivity of agriculture lands they are conscious of the need to minimise negative impacts on ecosystems and the environment.

Question 29

Deforestation and increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxode

Answer 29

Deforestation is a major factor contributing to global climate change. Deforestation mean there are fewer trees to absorb greenhouse gases and carbon emissions. Trees also produce oxygen and enable the water cycle by releasing water vapor into the atmosphere. Burning or decaying wood or timber after deforestation to clear lands for agriculture releases carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. With fewer trees to remove CO2 the levels in the atmosphere increase and so contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Question 30

Increased Erosion

Answer 30

Large-scale clearance of vegetation has also promoted soil erosion, resulting in the silting up of waterways in some CaribbeanIn countries. In the absence of trees there are no tree roots to anchor the soil and with increased exposure to sun the soil can dry out, leading to problems like increased flooding and inability to farm. If not managed properly, crops planted after clear cutting or burning can worsen soil erosion because their roots cannot adequately protect the soil.

Question 31

Increased Levels of Sedimentation and Decreased Quality of Life

Answer 31

Soil erosion can increase the amount of silt and sediment entering water bodies. Large quantities of sediment in water can lead to decreased local water quality and contribute to poor health in local populations. Increased flooding, poor water quality and inability to produce their own food may cause individuals to migrate to cities, thus increasing the problems of urbanisation .

Question 32

Intensive Aquaculture requires a large amount of land space

Answer 32

Large areas of coastal mangroves and forests have been cleared to make way for the construction of aquaculture ponds. This has led to the destruction of important habitats to create space for ponds. The loss of habitats and clearance of vegetation leaves areas exposed to flooding, displaces other land uses competing for the space.

Question 33

Habitat Destruction

Answer 33

Clearance and development of land for agriculture can result in the destruction and eventual fragmentation of habitats. Habitat destruction occurs when a natural area no longer supports the species it once did. Habitat fragmentation is a secondary effect of habitat destruction. It occurs when a habitat is split into parts which are so small that species numbers in each part are too low to be sustainable. Corridors between fragmentation is the elimination of individuals or populations from the area that was destroyed. The consequences of habitat fragmentation include: - change of species composition on fragments and edge communities - altering of energy balance by increasing the solar radiation that reaches the ground - change in wind patterns and transportation of seeds and dust by wind increased evapotranspiration, runoff and erosion.

Question 34

Loss of Biodiversity

Answer 34

Biodiversity is an important part of our environment. Habitat loss can lead to species extinction from an area amd a decrease in biodiversity. This has negative consequences for research and for the local populations who rely on the animals and plants for food, medicine and other uses. Pollutants and sediments from terrestrial sources as a result of agriculture activities often end up in inland and coastal waters and threaten aquatic biodiversity in the Caribbean. Intensive irrigation and inappropriate use of agrochemicals to increase agricultural production can also affect biodiversity in Caribbean countries.

Question 35

Impacts of Inappropriate use of Agrochemicals

Answer 35

A large amount of agrochemicals are used in agriculture in the Caribbean. These include fertilisers and pesticides. Antibiotics and hormones are also used in agriculture and mariculture. Although there are benefits to be derived from the use of these substances, their inappropriate use can have negative effects on the environment. Irrigation systems in agriculture usually involve modification of the hydrological regime which, in turn, creates habitats that are conducive to the breading of insects such as mosquitos, which are responsible for a variety of vector-borne diseases. In addition to pesticides used in the normal course of irrigated agriculture, control of vector-borne diseases may therefore require the additional application of insecticides. This may therefore require the additional application of insecticides. This can have serious and widespread ecological consequences. In an effort to address this problem, environmental management methods to control breeding of disease vectors need to be developed, testing and implemented.

Question 36

Waste Production, Disposal and Management in Agricultural Systems

Answer 36

Increased agricultural activity often leads to increased waste production. If this waste is not disposed of properly pollution of terrestrial and aquatic environments could occur and the aesthetic quality of the environment could be damaged.

Question 37

Eutrophication

Answer 37

This is an increase in nutrients in aquatic environments which promotes increased algal growth in the aquatic systems. The large numbers of algae deplete oxygen in the water. This can ultimately reduce the available oxygen for aquatic organisms, leading to their death and the further deterioration of the water quality. Polluted waste water can be harmful to non-target species. Mortality of aquatic species can increase because the residues can poison them. The released residues could also bioaccumulate and biomagnify, with potential long-term harmful effects on humans and other species

Question 38

Soil and Land Degradation

Answer 38

Soil Degradation: Poor agricultural practices can lead to soil degradation through soil erosion, acidification, waterlogging, salinisation and soil compaction. Soil Erosion: Soil erosion is the wearing away or removal of soil from land. The main agents of erosion are wind and water. Exposed or loose soil particles are transported away very easily. Erosion reduces the amount of fertile topsoil in an area and limits plant growth. It also removes essential nutrients and organic matter that are a part of fertile soil. Acidification: Some soil are naturally very acidic (low pH) while others are much more alkaline (high pH). Soil acidity is a major environmental and economic concern and is difficult and expensive to ameliorate. Acidic soils tend to cause significant losses in agricultural production. This could affect the choice of crops grown and market opportunities.

Question 39

Soil and Land Degradation Cont'd

Answer 39

Waterlogging: Soil is waterlogged when the subsoil water table id located at or near the surface and the yield of crops commonly grown on it is reduced, or- if the land is not cultivated- it cannot be put to its normal use because of the high subsoil water table. Waterlogging occurs when soils are very wet and there is not enough oxygen in the pores of the soil for adequate respiration of the roots of plants. The phenomenon occurs if the drainage in the area is inadequate. A lack of oxygen in the root region of plants causes decomposition of root tissues. As a result plant growth and development is affected and if the anaerobic condition continue for a prolonged period the plant eventually dies. Salinisation: This is an accumulation of salt in the topsoil. It is usually associated with elevated water tables, which transport dissolved salts to the soil surface. Excessive salt accumulation can lead to a decrease in the quality of the soil and the vegetation growing in it. Excess salts in the root zone of plants inhibit water and nutrient uptake and may result in toxicities due to individual salts in the soil solution. Soil Compaction: Commercial farming often uses a lot of heavy machinery, which tends to compress the soil and make it harder for roots, air and water to penetrate. Water also runs off the soil more quickly than usual, washing away soil particles and thereby contributing to soil erosion. Land Degradation: Land degradation refers to a decline in land quality caused mainly by human activities. Amongst the main causes of land degradation in the Caribbean are deforestation, shortage of land due to increased populations, poor land use, insecure land tenure, inappropriate land management practices, hillside farming and the practice of slash and burn.

Question 40

Hillside Farming

Answer 40

Many Caribbean countries are hilly and there is a shortage of suitable flat land for farming. As a result farmers tend to cultivate hillsides. However, there are some limitations to hillside farming. These include: - Susceptability to erosion: This is the most important limitation. Farmers must pay attention to the need to control erosion and converse water and soil resources. The stepper the slope the greater the potential for erosion to occur. - Difficulty in mechanisation: Hilly terrain makes it difficult to use large machinery. As a result most of the farming is done manually. This can lead to increased operation costs and also lower production levels. The use of heavy machinery on hillsides could result in increased soil compaction, erosion and difficulties in traversing the slope. - Dependence on rain-fed irrigation systems: Steep hillsides present problems for irrigation. Farmers will need to pay attention to measure then converse soil moisture.

Question 41

Slash and Burn Agriculture and its Advantages and Disadvantages

Answer 41

Slash and burn agroculture or shifting cultivation osa traditional form of subsistance agriculture where the natural vegetation is cut and burned as the land is cleared for cultivation. When the plot becomes infertile, the farmer moves to a new fresh plot and does the same again. Advantages: - The ashes from the burnt vegetation provide nutrients to the soil for the crops that are planted - The cleared area is used for a relatively short time and then left alone so that vegetation can grow again - This method allows people to farm in places where it usually would not be possible, such as forested areas. Disadvantages: - When abandoned fields are not given sufficient time for vegetation to grow back, there is a temporary or permanent loss of forest cover - Erosion and nutrient loss occurs when fields are slashed and burned because roots and temporary water storages are lost - Extinction of species could result of the area was the only area with a particular species

Question 42

Water Degradation and Availability

Answer 42

Water Degradation: Water pollution is known to cause illness and death in humans and other species and disruption to ecosystems. One of the main sources of water pollution is from agricultural activities. Porr agricultural practices promote water quality degradation through: - increased sediment in waterways - changes in water discharged to coastal zones - contamination of waterways with fertilisers, leading to eutrophication - contamination with other agrochemicals, promoting disruption of food chains and food webs Water degradation from agriculture is mainly caused by sedimentation as a result of soil erosion and runoff into waterways. Soil erosion is defined as the movement of soil from its original position. Sedimentation is defined as the movement of soil off the original field into a non-field environment. In sedimentation processes only the smallest and lightest particles leave the field.

Question 43

Reduced Water Availability for irrigation, mariculture and aquaculture

Answer 43

Fish are an essential source of nutrition and income to many people in the Caribbean. There is often competing demand for the limited freshwater resources available. Because of high stocking densities of fish, and since feed and chemicals are used in aquaculture ponds, fresh water is needed in large quantities to flush out uneaten food, dead organisms, feces, ammonia and phosphorus residues. Natural fisheriees and aquaculture operations are threatened by changes in temperature, precipitation patterns and related impacts on freshwater ecosystems. As a result of climate change storms may become more frequent and extreme, putting habitats, fish stock. infrastructure and livelihoods at risk. One of the main factors that can impact agriculture and aquaculture is water availability. There is therefore an immediate need to address this potential shortage of water resources. In the absence of proper management of freshwater resources could become contaminated, reducing the amount of fresh water available for use. As a result there is a need for proper management of drainage and irrigation systems leading to and from aquaculture facilities.