ADDRESSING FOOD SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN GUATEMALA: USING LOCAL FEEDS TO PROMOTE AQUACULTURE

Food security is an increasingly important global challenge. Population increases, coupled with changing food habits, are placing significant demand on the global food supply. Without significant advances in agricultural techniques and approaches, it will be difficult to feed the global population within several decades. Aquaculture is one underutilized agricultural method which could help alleviate this impending crisis if more farmers were able to implement improved techniques. One of the primary inputs for successful aquaculture is a nutritionally complete feed. However, commercial fish feeds may be prohibitively expensive or unavailable in many locations in the developing world, reducing the ability of farmers to implement economically successful aquaculture ventures. Providing farmers with the ability to produce their own high-nutrition feeds with locally available ingredients would be a key enabler for more widespread successful aquaculture efforts. This dissertation focuses on the development and evaluation of alternative, locally sourced, inexpensive fish feeds to maximize fish production in developing countries.