FI: GCP/INT/436/SWE. 6

	FIELD TESTING OF AQUACULTURE IN EASTERN PROVINCE, ZAMBIA
	TABLE OF CONTENTS

by

J. van der Mheen-Sluijer
Socio-economist

and

H.W. van der Mheen
Aquaculturist

This report was prepared during the course of the project identified on the title page. The conclusions and recommendations given in the report are those considered appropriate at the time of its preparation. They may be modified in the light of further knowledge gained at subsequent stages of the project.

The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations or the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers.

PREFACE

ALCOM (Aquaculture for Local Community Development Programme) is executed by FAO and funded by SIDA (Swedish International Development Authority). The Programme is interregional, although focusing on the countries of Southern Africa.

The Programme's objective is to develop, test and demonstrate methods and techniques by which rural people can improve their standards of living through aquaculture.

The mode of work is to deal with identified problems for aquaculture development in small pilot projects, the results of which are intended to be applied in larger scale national development programmes/projects.

This paper describes the approach and initial results of one pilot project in Eastern Province of Zambia. The pilot project aims at introducing small-scale aquaculture in rural communities through a participatory approach, mobilizing the communities' own resources.

Addresses :

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Chipata, Zambia, 1988

Hyperlinks to non-FAO Internet sites do not imply any official endorsement of or responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data or products presented at these locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. The sole purpose of links to non-FAO sites is to indicate further information available on related topics.

This electronic document has been scanned using optical character recognition (OCR) software. FAO declines all responsibility for any discrepancies that may exist between the present document and its original printed version.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

SUMMARY

1.   INTRODUCTION

2.   SELECTION OF PILOT AREAS

2.1   Yokoniya
2.2   Rukuzye
2.3   Magwero
2.4   The Target Group

3.   INITIAL APPROACH AND INFORMATION GATHERING

3.1   Adoption of Innovations
3.2   Collection of Information

4.   FINDINGS ON THE INITIAL SITUATION

4.1   Markets for Fish
4.2   Advantages of Fish Farming
4.3   Intervening Variables
4.4   Background Variables
4.5   Independent Variables

5.   EXTENSION; APPROACH AND PROCESS

5.1   First Contact
5.2   Follow up; Slideshow
5.3   Pond Characteristics
5.4   Training Material

6.   RESULTS

6.1   Pond Construction
6.2   Proposed Technology

7.   DISCUSSION OF THE RESULTS

7.1   Target Group
7.2   Adoption of Fish Farming
7.3   People's Participation
7.4   Participation of Women
7.5   Transfer of Information
7.6   Communal versus Individual Ponds

REFERENCES

APPENDICES

Appendix 1:   EASTERN PROVINCE AND CHIPATA DISTRICT

1.   Demography
2.   Climate
3.   Topography and Soils
4.   Water Supply
5.   Agriculture
6.   Agricultural Credit and Extension
7.   Nutrition

Appendix 2:   PROFILE OF THE TARGET AREAS

1.   Yokoniya

1.1   Infrastructure
1.2   Social and Cultural Organization
1.3   Land Tenure
1.4   Farming Systems

2.   Rukuzye

2.1   Infrastructure
2.2   Social and Cultural Organization
2.3   Land Tenure
2.4   Traditional Leaders versus Political Leaders
2.5   Farming Systems
2.6   The Integrated Rural Development Programme

3.   Magwero

3.1   Infrastructure
3.2   Social and Cultural Organization
3.3   Farming Systems
3.4   School Ponds

Appendix 3:   CALENDAR OF ACTIVITIES

SUMMARY

The pilot project in Eastern Province, Zambia, one of the activities of ALCOM (Aquaculture for Local Community Development Programme), was intended to develop and demonstrate a methodology for the introduction of small-scale aquaculture in rural communities through a participatory approach.

The pilot project activities started in March 1987. The approach and initial results up to April 1988 are described here. A final report on the pilot project will be published in 1992.

Three communities were selected for development activities and close monitoring. The social, cultural, and agricultural variations among these communities made possible the testing of methods under various conditions.

In order to understand why aquaculture might be undertaken as a new activity, a general model on the adoption of innovations was used to order and establish priorities for the factors identified by four desk studies. Information on these factors was gathered from investigations, surveys and other statistical data collected by government authorities, Study Bureau, and development agencies. Additional information was obtained through interviews, questionnaires, observations and discussion.

Observations were made on how to introduce fish farming into rural communities in a manner that fits into the local decision-making process. The best results were achieved by going through the traditional community leaders rather than through political leaders. Simple slide shows were used to discuss the possibilities for starting fish farming. The slide shows were very effective at communicating ideas about fish farming and understanding the farmers' perspective on this activity.

The site for the pond and the size of the pond were determined as far as possible by the farmers themselves. Communal ponds tend to be favoured as a start-up activity to minimize risk and spread out the initial labour input, which is limiting. Another way the labour risk is minimized is by digging a small pond as the first effort. Rural communities are capable of building and operating fish ponds without any outside resources, save some technical advice. It can be compared with animal husbandry practices in the rural areas.

An inventory was made of locally available by-products and leftovers which can be used for composting and feeding. A financial analysis is given for one production cycle of a woman fish farmer's pond, to illustrate the potential profitability of extensive fish farming.

Once the initial idea of fish farming was introduced in the community, full participation of the people was attempted at all stages.

The primary pre-occupation of rural farmers is the family's food security. The introduction of an innovation such as fish farming always has a low priority, and pond construction takes place only during leisure time. This makes progress slow in November-April, when other farming activities impose a heavy work load.

There are few existing fish ponds in Eastern Province, and therefore not much is known about the advantages to women of owning fish ponds.