Artificial Intelligence for Strengthening Aquaculture Extension Systems: A Review and Conceptual Framework
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/jes.2026.42.01.02Keywords:
Artificial intelligence, Aquaculture extension, Advisory services, Decision support systems, Digital extension, Intelligent Aquaculture Extension Ecosystem (IAEE).Abstract
Aquaculture has become an important contributor to food security, rural livelihoods, and economic development. Despite its rapid growth, the sector continues to face challenges arising from disease outbreaks, declining water quality, climate variability, rising production costs, and limited access to timely technical information. These challenges highlight the need for responsive and knowledge-based extension systems capable of supporting informed farm-level decision-making. Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) provide new opportunities to strengthen extension services through intelligent advisory systems, predictive analytics, automated information management, and evidence-informed decision support. This review synthesises recent developments in machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, natural language processing, large language models, retrieval-augmented generation, and knowledge graph technologies from the perspective of aquaculture extension. Particular emphasis is placed on their potential to improve advisory services, disease surveillance, water quality monitoring, information dissemination, and stakeholder communication while complementing the expertise of extension professionals. The review also discusses major challenges associated with data quality, digital infrastructure, institutional readiness, transparency, and ethical governance that influence the effective adoption of AI-enabled extension services. A major contribution of this paper is the proposed Intelligent Aquaculture Extension Ecosystem (IAEE), a conceptual framework designed to guide the integration of validated scientific knowledge, AI-enabled analytical tools, and professional extension expertise for transparent, context-specific, and farmer-centred advisory services. The review concludes that artificial intelligence should be viewed as a complementary resource that can enhance, rather than replace, conventional extension systems and has potential to contribute to more responsive, inclusive, and sustainable aquaculture development.
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