Introduction

Three studies will be conducted in Ninth Work Plan in marketing and economic analyses related to the PD/A CRSP research efforts. The first project will study the development of Central American markets for tilapia produced in the region. Much of the PD/A CRSPs research efforts have resulted in increased yields and production of tilapia. If markets are expanded and developed, increased production will result in a decline of farm-gate prices that can have a negative impact on the incipient tilapia industry in Central America. This activity will identify potential new domestic markets for Central American tilapia that will avoid price declines from increased quantities supplied.

The second study in this area will develop estimates of social and economic returns attributable to PD/A CRSP technologies in Thailand. This study will extend work that was completed under the Eighth Work Plan that estimated economic and social returns to the CRSP research in shrimp production technologies in Honduras. Results of this study will be useful for the PD/A CRSP to justify continued funding by quantifying benefits and impacts of the research effort.

Finally, Rapid Economic Evaluation Tools will develop a technique that can assist researchers in screening possible technologies for pond trials. The technique will build upon previous work using cost-return analysis in a risk framework to judge farmer incentives to adopt new techniques even as they are still in the research process. It will be designed to be a practical tool for use by biological researchers, giving them an indication of future economic viability, as experimental designs are formulated, to increase the likelihood that their research has a high chance of future use.