Sustainability challenges in small-scale freshwater catfish (Clarias gariepinus) farming in northern Thailand: profitability, economy of scale, and hedging

Abstract

Smallholder aquaculture offers important opportunities to enhance food security, strengthen rural livelihoods, and diversify diets in regions of the Global South facing socio-economic and environmental stress. This study reports on a two-year community-based intervention in northern Thailand, where African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) farming was introduced and evaluated across 14 villages. Drawing on farm records, field observations, and close engagement with participating communities, we developed a contextual “simplified" economic analysis of profitability and production dynamics. To situate these findings, we conducted a global synthesis of 110 smallholder aquaculture studies from 23 countries, primarily in Africa. Across both scales, success was associated with strong social cohesion, favorable environmental conditions, and capacity-building that fostered farmer autonomy. Key constraints included high input costs, weak market access, and reliance on plastic-based infrastructure, with the expense of high-protein feed emerging as the most critical barrier to making community-based systems viable for livelihood security. Although limited economies of scale constrain profitability, smallholder aquaculture functioned as a valuable livelihood hedging strategy and contributed to dietary diversity by providing a locally derived, resilient source of protein. Scaling these benefits will require supportive policies, affordable inputs, and closer integration into rural development and food system strategies.