TFST

1. TFST The Tilapia Farming Support Tool Welcome to the world of virtual Tilapia farming

2. TFST Developed by Nefisco & Xi With financial support of GTZ (German Technical Cooperation)

3. Why TFST Tilapia farming increased spectacularly in the last decade

4. Tilapia farming systems Most Tilapias are still raised in ponds. There are a large number of farming systems, mainly aiming at the reduction of the excessive reproduction of Tilapia: • Mixed culture • All male, hand sexed • All male sex reversed • Mixed culture with a predator

5. Economics Local economics and consumer preferences determine the financial success and risk of a Tilapia farming system A successful rearing system in one country can be a failure in another country

6. Two examples • In Ivory Coast, you are obliged to use all male fingerlings as the market only accepts large size Tilapia • In Congo Brazzaville, mixed culture is successful as the market prefers medium-sized Tilapia

7. TFST • assists you in the formulation of the most optimal Tilapia farming system • It takes into consideration the local economics and consumer preferences

8. The basis of TFST TFST is based on: • Population Dynamic Modelling:Follows birth, mortality and growth of the Tilapia you stocked in your virtual pond • Individual Based Modelling: Follows each individual Tilapia in your virtual pond

9. Inputs for TFST • Pond size • Stocking density • Number of rearing days • Sex distribution and size stocked fingerlings at start • Feed type • Mixed culture with predators • Predator stocking density and size of predator • The number of rearing periods and simulation per rearing period • Financial or economic parameters

10. Outputs of TFST • Yields per ha • Yields per species and size group • Average weight at harvest • Cost and revenues As TFST is an Individual Based Model, it gives you the variation in the expected outcomes

11. TFST has two modules • The main simulation module: with specific inputs a simulation can be carried out numerous times, providing detailed outputs and its variation • The optimisation module: this module allows you to search for the best farming system, once you have provided your own economic data

12. The structure of TFST

13. The main screen of TFST

14. TFST inputs Tilapia data Economic data

15. TFST outputs Net yield Revenues

16. TFST optimisation

17. TFST objective • We hope that TFST will support the sustainable development of Tilapia farming in developing countries • TFST indicates economic and biological bottlenecks and facilitates thereby decision making of potential tilapia farmers • TFST can be used as a virtual learning tool for students at agriculture colleges

18. Thank you for your attention