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Social-ecological analysis of integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems in Dedza, Malawi

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  • Jessica Blythe

Abstract

Through the case of integrated agriculture-aquaculture in rural Malawi, this paper argues that hybrid research can reveal new interactions in social-ecological systems not evident when studies by social or natural methods independently. While recent research acknowledges the social and natural dimensions of aquaculture systems, studies often create an artificial divide by attempting to address each aspect in isolation. Social science research has overlooked the biophysical aspects of aquaculture, while scientific research has uncritically accepted orthodox explanations of environmental outcomes without addressing the social contexts of such systems. The social component of this research reveals that fish farmers in Malawi are rejecting practices which do not work in the local context (fertilization with pond mud) and adopting strategies that do work (irrigation with pond water). The physical component of this research compliments the social by elucidating that irrigation with pond water resulted in higher soil nutrient and moisture content. The paper concludes that small-scale aquaculture can make significant contributions to rural household food and income security in Africa and that hybrid research methods can improve our abilities to investigate the complex, connected nature of social-ecological systems. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

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  • Jessica Blythe, 2013. "Social-ecological analysis of integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems in Dedza, Malawi," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 1143-1155, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:endesu:v:15:y:2013:i:4:p:1143-1155
    DOI: 10.1007/s10668-012-9429-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Moses Majid Limuwa & Wales Singini & Trond Storebakken, 2018. "Is Fish Farming an Illusion for Lake Malawi Riparian Communities under Environmental Changes?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-23, May.
    2. Jessica Blythe & Reuben Sulu & Daykin Harohau & Rebecca Weeks & Anne-Maree Schwarz & David Mills & Michael Phillips, 2017. "Social Dynamics Shaping the Diffusion of Sustainable Aquaculture Innovations in the Solomon Islands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-14, January.
    3. Steven Gronau & Etti Winter & Ulrike Grote, 2020. "Aquaculture, fish resources and rural livelihoods: a village CGE analysis from Namibia’s Zambezi Region," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 615-642, February.

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