Researchers explore strategies to aid smallholder fish farmers in Zambia

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Although aquaculture, fish farming, is believed to have been practiced for thousands of years in Asia, the approach is relatively new in Africa, which is facing a “fish deficit” that contributes to a lack of protein in the diets of the populace, according to the international nonprofit WorldFish. To help accelerate fish farming in northern Zambia, a team led by researchers at Penn State investigated local integrated agriculture-aquaculture practices — meaning their management of agricultural resources to supply essential inputs for feeding fish — adopted by farmers.

In findings published in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, the researchers reported that in rural regions of Zambia, the management of crop and livestock resources is central to maintaining productivity in aquaculture. Aquaculture contributes to agricultural development, economic growth and poverty-reduction initiatives in Zambia and other African countries, noted team member Michael Jacobson, Penn State professor of forest resources in the College of Agricultural Sciences.

“But smallholder fish farmers in northern Zambia have limited market access and purchasing power, which restricts access to commercial inputs, such as formulated feeds and chemical fertilizers,” he said.

The researchers surveyed, interviewed and toured the farms of 63 smallholder fish farmers to identify patterns of resource management. The study highlighted the challenges that poor farmers with small operations face and the trade-offs they make to access resources for aquaculture, said Jacob Johnson, who spearheaded the research as a Penn State doctoral degree candidate. He recently graduated with doctorate in ecosystem science and management.

“In many regions of Africa, fish is an important part of the people’s diet, but growing populations, overfishing in lakes and rivers, and limited fisheries management are chronic problems,” he said. “For a host of reasons, aquaculture is seen as a solution to relieve pressure on natural water bodies and improve the livelihoods of small farmers. We focused on how smallholder farmers in one region can adjust their operations to improve fish production.”

Typically, smallholder fish farms are family-run operations that raise fish in small areas of land along with a few crops and some livestock. Tilapia — the primary fish farmed in Zambia and the second most popular farmed fish in the world — is widely raised in Africa because it is a highly adaptable fish species that can thrive in various water conditions. It's a resilient, fast-growing fish that can be easily farmed in many African environments. 

The researchers found that fish-feeding “intensity” — providing the most nutrition for tilapia in ponds — depended on important social factors like the farmers’ income, experience in aquaculture, access to extension services and proximity to markets in Luwingu Town, which is the closest municipality to buy fish feed. The most common feeding strategy adopted by farmers was to use readily available materials, such as livestock manure, homemade feeds comprising maize and soybean, garden residues and kitchen wastes.

Farmers who most intensively managed their fishponds used a wider diversity of local feeds, in addition to commercial feeds, the researchers reported. Their discussions with fish farmers revealed that the use of crops such as sweet potatoes, cassava and millet may help boost feed quantities in aquaculture. Although these resources are lower quality as fish feed when compared to maize and soybean, they are cheaper and more available on farms and in local markets.

Johnson served a two-and-a-half-year stint as a Peace Corps volunteer in Zambia a decade ago, and his time there allowed him to learn the local language, local customs and ways to get around in rural Africa, he explained, noting the knowledge was pivotal for this study.

“When I came to Penn State, I worked hard to develop relationships with our project partners in Zambia, including WorldFish, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and the Zambian Department of Fisheries and Livestock,” he said. “I received a Fulbright scholarship to pursue the project. It’s a small study, but the larger topic — enabling small farmers across Africa to succeed in and expand aquaculture — is important for improving food security and nutrition in the region. This research informs efforts in Africa to incorporate local knowledge and innovations into aquacultural systems.”

Contributing to the research at Penn State were Heather Karsten, associate professor of crop production/ecology; Jay Stauffer, distinguished professor of ichthyology; and Leif Jensen, distinguished professor of rural sociology and demography; and Steven Cole, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Alexander Kaminski, Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK; Muleya Syapwaya, independent consultant, Lusaka, Zambia; and Mary Lundeba, WorldFish, Lusaka, Zambia.

Funding for this study included a Fulbright Open Study Research Award and a Paul D. Coverdell Fellows Award.