Understanding Small-Scale Aquaculture Producers’ Perceptions of Challenges Across Production Systems in Manabí, Ecuador

Aquaculture plays a key role in food security and rural development, yet small-scale producers face heterogeneous structural, economic, and institutional constraints. This study analyzes aquaculture producers’ perceptions of the main challenges affecting small-scale aquaculture in the province of Manabí, Ecuador. A total of 98 producers were surveyed, including 37.14% Backyard, 45.71% Transitional, and 17.14% Commercial farms, using a Likert-type questionnaire to assess the perceived importance of different constraints. A structured survey was administered to 98 producers, including 20 Likert-scale variables. Differences among systems were evaluated using non-parametric univariate tests (Kruskal–Wallis with Dunn post hoc comparisons), and multivariate techniques (Principal Component Analysis and discriminant analysis) were applied to identify underlying perception patterns. Significant differences were mainly associated with biological input supply, market conditions, and structural production constraints, particularly, between Backyard farms and the other systems. In contrast, feed costs, energy consumption, and regulatory requirements emerged as transversal constraints across all systems. Multivariate analysis identified two main perception dimensions associated with market/input factors and structural/managerial limitations, showing a moderate differentiation among systems, with partial overlap between Transitional and Commercial farms and clearer separation of Backyard farms. These findings provide insights into system-specific and transversal constraints, contributing to the design of more adaptive and context-sensitive governance strategies for small-scale aquaculture.