World Aquaculture Society Conference Cape Town, South Africa, June 26-30, 2017

1. Results from a participatory action research
fish feed trial using Oreochromis macrochir
and Oreochromis tanganicae in Northern
Zambia
World Aquaculture Society Conference
Cape Town, South Africa, June 26-30, 2017
Mary Lundeba, Steven Cole, Mary Nyirenda and Noah Muyuni

2. • Fish consumption is of key importance
for food and nutrition security and
human health in Africa
• Expanding aquaculture and supporting
small-scale fisheries are sustainable
ways of improving nutritional status and
food security (Kawarazuka and Béné
2010)
• Fish contributes 53.4% of animal
protein in the diets of Zambians (FAO
2012)
Introduction

3. Fingerling production
• With stagnating capture fisheries
production, a fish supply deficit of about
80,000 metric tons has been estimated
in Zambia (DoF 2017)
• Aquaculture is seen as part of the
solution to overcome fish supply deficit
• Zambia’s aquaculture production has
increased from 5,000 metric tons in
2006 to over 30,000 metric tons in
2016 (DoF 2016)
Introduction
Fish hatchery in Zambia

4. Introduction
Reasons for the increase (Kaminski et al. under review):
• Rapid adoption of cage fish farming on Lake Kariba
• Emerging private sector increasing fish seed and feed production
• Increased demand for fish
• Overall, there has been an enabling environment created by the
government and non-governmental organizations to develop the
aquaculture sector

5. Introduction
Aquaculture activities in rural Zambia
• The notable increase in aquaculture
production is mainly from medium and
large-scale producers
o The rural-based small-scale farmers lag
behind
• Rural populations’ main animal protein
source is fish, yet fish catches from capture
fisheries are declining
• Aquaculture can help rural people secure
their food, nutrition and economic needs
• Therefore, addressing constraints of
aquaculture development among rural
small-scale fish farmers is critical

6. Low rural aquaculture productivity
• High costs associated with buying complete fish feeds
o Feeds are also poorly distributed in district areas, making it inaccessible to rural
small-scale farmers
• Lack of high-quality fish seed and access to it
• Poor pond management practices
Other challenges
• Gender issues (aquaculture perceived as a man’s activity, land tenure)
• Lack of extension support
• Lack of high-quality data on fish growth and production of small-scale fish farmers
• Use of inappropriate technology-transfer approaches
Challenges that limit rural aquaculture
development

7. • A comparative study was conducted to assess the impact of using a
formulated fish feed from locally-available ingredients on the growth of
Oreochromis species
• Three different feeding treatments were used:
• A multi-stakeholder participatory action research (PAR) approach was used to
enhance knowledge sharing and learning and technology transfer
o More inclusive (women, men, youths)
o Facilitated capacity building, participatory M&E
o Enhanced extension support
Research to address some of the
aquaculture development challenges

8. • How can rural aquaculture productivity be enhanced through research?
• How can aquaculture research be more inclusive (women, men, youths) and
empowering?
Main research questions

9. Mbala
Luwingu
• Luwingu and Mbala Districts of
Northern Province, Zambia
• Located in agro-ecological region
3, which receives over 1000 mm
of rainfall annually with the
presence of perennial water
bodies
• High potential for aquaculture
development in these two sites
Research sites

10. Formation of PAR groups
• Development of a feed trial protocol and
presentation at a stakeholder meeting
• Identification of 41 research farmers (RFs)
o 15 RFs (Luwingu)
o 26 RFs (Mbala)
• Formation of PAR groups
• Detailed discussions to inform the
research design
• Identification of locally-available feed
ingredients and animal manures
Setting up the research process

11. Completed trial pondsRenovation of demonstration ponds Farmer constructing her trial ponds
• 6 demonstration ponds were set up in each research site (“learning” sites)
• Every RF constructed/renovated 3 trial “women-sensitive” ponds (10 m x 10 m)
Implementation of the research

12. Stocking of fingerlingsFeed formulation Monitoring of fish growth and water quality in ponds
• Formulation of a nutritionally-improved fish feed using locally-available ingredients
• Stocking of fingerlings in trial ponds (3/m²)
• Monthly monitoring of fish growth and water quality
o 20,520 total fish sampled
• Fish fed twice/day at 3% body weight
Implementing the research

13. Variable Luwingu Mbala
Sex of farmer 40% female 57% female
Age of farmer (years) 42 (range: 22-58); 40% youth 41.4 (range: 24-61); 26% youth
Marital status 100% married 87% married
Level of education - Primary: 60%
- Secondary: 40%
- None: 17.3%
- Primary: 74%
- Secondary: 8.7%
Main occupation 100% crop farmers 100% crop farmers
Years fish farming 3.7 years (range: 1-22) 3.7 years (range: 1-17)
Land ownership 26.7% self-owned 69.6% self-owned
Labor for pond
construction
- Family: 60%
- Own: 33.3%
- Group: 6.7%
- Family: 74%
- Own: 17.4%
- Group: 4.4%
- Hired: 4.4%
Main challenges fish
farming
- Water shortages: 35.7%
- Lack animal manure: 28.6%
- Pond construction: 21.4%
- Predation: 55.6%
- Water shortages: 16.7%
- Lack of time: 11.1%
Feed trial farmer demographics

14. PAR fish feed trials
•Average growth rates (grams), by month
Solid overall growth, P1 treatment performing better.
Men obtained +10.46 g more growth (P1) on average
than women.
Erratic and less significant growth throughout the
trial period, which suggests demo ponds are not
being managed as well as individual ponds.
m+f = manure + feed; m = manure only; f = feed only
Results (Luwingu District)

15. PAR fish feed trials
•Average secchi disk readings
•Average water temperatures
Ideal water temperatures to grow tilapia:
25°to 30°Celsius
m+f = manure + feed; m = manure only; f = feed only
Results (Luwingu District)

16. PAR fish feed trials
•Average growth rates (grams), by month
Similar erratic growth and large disparities
between the two sets of ponds.
Poor growth on the whole, regardless of the
treatment. Suggests:
1.Poor management/water quality
2.Low water temperatures impacting growth
3.Poor seed quality?
Men obtained +0.78 g more growth (P1) on
average than women.
m+f = manure + feed; m = manure only; f = feed only
Results (Mbala District)

17. PAR fish feed trials
•Average secchi disk readings
•Average water temperatures
Ideal water temperatures to grow tilapia:
25°to 30°Celsius
m+f = manure + feed; m = manure only; f = feed only
Results (Mbala District)

18. Participatory feed adjustments
Enhanced capacities (via “learning by doing”) and extension support
•Formulation of a nutritionally-improved feed
•Best management practices
•Monitoring of fish growth and water quality parameters
•Record keeping
•Adjustment of feed
Participatory monitoringParticipatory feed formulation
Results

19. Collaboration (at multiple scales) during the trials led to successful implementation;
farmers shared knowledge and experiences
Farmers drew the following lessons:
•Feeding fish with a nutritionally-improved feed enhances fish growth
•Pond fertilization is critical for increased fish growth
•Importance of record keeping
•Women/youth can participate in aquaculture research when given the opportunity
Challenges
•Literacy levels
•Poor group management of demo ponds
•Fish feed used for other purposes
Discussion

20. Participatory action research can:
•Lead to successful implementation of on-farm research with rural
small-scale fish farmers
•Enable the collection of high-quality data on fish growth and pond
water-quality parameters
•Enhance small-scale farmers capacities to do fish farming and
aquaculture research (monitoring and record keeping)
•Ensure aquaculture research is inclusive and empowering
•Strengthen partnerships
Conclusion

21. • Misamfu Aquaculture Research Station and Mpende Fisheries for
supplying the fingerlings
• Department of Fisheries staff in Mbala and Luwingu Districts for
helping develop protocols, setting up the fish feed trials and providing
extension support
• Irish Aid for their financial assistance
Acknowledgments

22. Thank You