The Context of Small-Scale Integrated Agriculture-Aquaculture Systems in Africa

328 Pages·2010·10.58 MB·English

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The Context of Small-Scale
Integrated

Agriculture-Aquaculture Systems

in Africa:

.A Case Study of Malawi

Int~ntfnI Center for living etce eeUchaft ffr Teceinie~ch
Aquatic Resources Meuent iun(Genflr)e,t GmbH
The Context of Small-Scale Integrated

Agriculture-Aquaculture Systems

in Africa: A Case Study of Mala *i
The Context of Small-Scale Integrated

Agriculture-Aquaculture Systems

in Africa: A Case Study of Mala'i

1991
INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR LIVING AQUATIC RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

MANILA, PHILIPPINES

DEUTSCHE GESELLSCHAFT URTECHNISCHE ZWSAMMENARBEIT (GTZ), GmbH

ESCHBORN, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
The context of smalscale integrated
agriculture-aquaculture systems in
Africa: a case study of Malavi
1991
Published by the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management,
MC P.O. Box 1501, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines and Deutsche GeseUschaft filr
Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH, Pogtfach 5180, D-6236 Eschborn 1 bei
Frankfurt/Main, Federal Republic of Germany
Printed in Manila, Philippines.
ICU.RM and GTZ. 1991. The context of small-scale integrated agricultur-aquaculture systems in Africa:

a case study ofMala i. ICLARM Stud. Rev. 18, 30? p.

ISSN 0115-4389 ,
"
ISBN 971-1022-65-6
Cover: Zomba District, Southern Region, Malafvi: dry season maintenance activities;
clearing and reshaping the pond. Photo by K. Ruddle.
TCLARM Contribution No. 576
CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................... xxi

ABSTRACT .................................................. xxii

ASPECTS OF SMLL-SCALE INTEGRATED AGRICULTURE-AQUACULTURE
SYSTEMS IN MAIAWI ....................................... xxiii
INTRODUCTION
Aquaculture in Context ...................................... 1

The Context of National Development Levels ......................... 3

The Context of Alternative Sources of Protein ........................ 4

The Phy-ical and Biological Environmental Context .. ................... 4

The Socioeconomic Environmental Context .......................... 4

The Context of Integrated Systems .............................. 6

About This Study .......................................... 8

CHAPTER 1: PLANNING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE
IN AFRICA
Introduction . ... ..................... .................... 10

The Resource Systems Concept and Framework ...................... 10

The Logistics of Aquaculture Development .......................... 13

Political Economy or Resource Allocation Strategies ................... 14

National Development Goals and Priorities ................... 14

The Development and Status ofAquaculture ................... 14

Technical and Manpower Development and Financial Assistance ......... 16

National Infrastructure ............................... 17

Protective Legislation ...... ........................... 17

Relationships with Other Economic Sectors ................... 17

Biological and Physical Factors ............................... 18

Environm ental .................................... 18

Climate . . .. . ... ... . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .. . .. . .. . 18

Temperatures . ........................... 18

Rainfall, sunshineand evaporation ............... 21

Humidity and wind ........................ 21

Hydrology and limnology ......................... 21

Water resources .......................... 22

Water quality ........................... 22

Geomorphology ............................... 22

Soils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Vegetation .................. ... ... ...... ... . 23

Fish Biology .. .......... ... ...... ...... ... ... ... . 24

Resources for aquaculture ......................... 24

Other aspects ................................ 24

V
Environment Conditicn ...................................... 24

Public health hazards ................................. 24

Natural hazards ..................................... 25

Sociocultural Factors ........ .................................... 27

Farm Household Level ...................................... 27

Community Level ........ .................................. 27

Land Tenure, Access to Resources and Property Rights ................ 27

Fish Consumption Rates and Consumer Preferences .................. 27

Local Marketing Structures .................................. 31

Actu.al Resource System .......................................... 31

Agriculture ........ ...................................... 32

Processing ........ ...................................... 32

Distribution ........ ..................................... 32

Consumption ............................................ 32

Supplementary Inputs ........ .................................... 32

Socioeconomic ........ .................................... 32

Labor Supply ....................................... 32

Technology ........................................ 33

Capital ........ ................................... 33

Extension Support ................................... 34

Biological and Physical ...................................... 34

Selection Processes ........ ...................................... 34

Species ......... ........................................ 34

Biological criteria .................................... 34

Biotechnological criteria ................................ 34

Bioeconomic criteria .................................. 35

Pathological criteria .................................. 35

Marketing criteria .................................... 35

Site ......... .......................................... 35

Physical and biological criteria ........................... 35

Thermal viability ............................. 35

Slope ..................................... 36

Soils ................................... 36

Hlydrologicalconditions ...................... 36

Naturalhazards .............................. 36

Demographic criteria ................................. 36

Basal subsistence criteria ............................... 36

System Type ........ ..................................... 37

CHAPTER 2: THE STATUS OF AQUACULTURE AND FISH PRODUCTION
SYSTEMS IN AFRICA
Introduction ........ ............................................. 39

The Traditional Background of Aquaculture in Africa .................. 39

Colonial and Early Postcolonial Times ........................... 40

Aquaculture and Fish Production Systems in Africa .................... 40

Traditional African Systems of Aqurculture ......................... 43

The Damming of Natural Depressions ........................... 46

Drain-in Ponds ... ...... ..................... ........ .. 46

Howash .................................. ...... 46

Whedos ......... .. ... ....... ......... ... ....... 49

Fish Aggregation Devices .................................. 52

vi
Refuge Traps or Brush Parks ................................ 52

The Acadja ...................................... 52

Barachois ........................................... 56

Shellfish Stocking "...................................... 56

Modern Aquaculture Systems in Africa ............................ 58

Extensive Systems ...................................... 58

Dam Stocking . ................................... 58

Rice-Fish Systems .................................. 58

Extensive Pond Systems .............................. 58

Semi-Intensive Systems ................................... 59

Pond Culture ..................................... 59

Intensive System s ...................................... 59

Intensive Pond Culture ............................... 60

Cage and Pen Culture ............................... 60

Tanks and Raceway Culture ............................ 60

The Present Status of Aquuaculture in Africa ........................ 60

The Present Status of Aquaculture in the SADCC Subregion ................. 61

Angola . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Botswana . ... .. .. . .. . .. ... ... ... . .. . . . . . . . . . .. . .. ... 61

Lesotho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . 64

Mala'vi.. ............................................ 64

Mozambique ......................................... 64

Swaziland ...... .. ... ...... ......... ...... . .......... 64

Tanzania .... .. ... ........... ...... ........... ... ... 65

Zambia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Zimbabwe ...... ...... ..... ............. ... .......... 66

CHAPTER 3: MALAWI, THE NATIONAL SETTING

Introduction ............................................. 67

The Demographic Condition ................................... 67

The Geographical Distribution of Population ....................... 67

The Biophysical Environment .................................. 75

Physiographic Zonation ................................... 75

Climate and Climatic Zones ................................. 80

Precipitation . ... .................. ..... . ......... 80

Air Temperatures .................................. 83

Evapotranspiration . ................................ 83

Sunshine, Relative Humidity and Winds ..................... 83

Climatic Zonation of Mala .....i.. ......................
91

Hydrography and Drainage Patterns ........................... 91

Soils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

The National Economic Profile ................................. .. 98

National Development Policies and Strategies ....................... 98

Economic Performance Since Indepenlence ........................ 103

Wages, Incomes and Prices ................................. 106

Background to the Development of Agriculture in Mala .....i. ...........
106

Agricultural Development Policy and Strategies ...................... 112

Farmers' Clubs and Agricultural Credit .......................... 114

The Agricultural Situatioi. .................................... 115

Crop Production ....................................... 115

The Estate Sector ...................................... 122

Livestock .. .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. .. ... . .. . . . .. . .. .. .. ... .. 122

Irrigation . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. ... . ... .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. .. .. 123

vii
Agricultural Marketing ....... ................................... 123

Constraints on Agricultural Production ...... .......................... 124

The Food and Nutrition Situation ....... ............................... 130

Conclusion .......... .............................................. 131

CHAPTER 4: CAPTURE FISHERIES IN MALAWI
Introduction ......... ............................................. 136

The Fisheries Areas and Productivity ............................. 136

Lake Malavi ... ... .................. .. .... ........... 138

Lake Malombe ........................................ 142

Lake Chilwa . ... .. ..................... ... ..... ...... 143

Lake Chiuta .... .. ......................... .... ....... 143

Lower Shire Valley and Associated Wetlands ....................... 143

The Elephant Marsh ................................ 143

The Ndinde M arsh ................................. 144

The Chikawa Lagoons ............................... 144

The Bangula Marsh ................................. 144

The Lower Shire River ............................... 144

Fish Production in the Lower Shire Valley ........................ 144

The Fish Resource ......................................... 144

Lake Malavi.. ......................................... 145

Pelagic Fish Resources of Lake Malai.i ............................ 145

Offshore Pelagic Resources ................................. 145

Inshore Pelagic Resources .................................. 145

Inshore Demersal Fish Resources ................................ 146

Traditional Small-Scale Fishing ................................. 148

Technologies Used ................................................ 148

N e s . . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148

Gill Nets (ndangala,machera) ........................... 148

Open Water Seines (chilimila.) ........................... 151

Beach Seines (kambuzi, khota) . ........................... 151

Scoop Nets (pyasa) ................................. 153

Casting Nets (chavi) ................................ 153

Traps ............................................. 154

Fence Traps .. ..... ............. ..... ... ... ...... 154

Basket Traps (mono) ................................ 155

Vegetation Trap ................................... 156

H ooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

Long Lines ... .. ................ .. .... ..... ...... 156

Single Lines .. .... ........... .... ... .. . ... ... .... 156

Pole-and-Line . ............... ... ... ... ..... ...... 156

Simple Manual Techniques ................................. 156

Plunge Baskets ................................... 156

Spearing and Bow-and-Arrow ........................... 156

Stupefacients and Poisons .................................. 156

Small-Scale Fishing Craft . .................................. 156

Social Aspects of the Small-Scale Fisheries .......................... 158

Part-Time Fishermen .................................... 159

Fisheries Laborers ...................................... 159

Incomes and Earnings .................................... 159

Industrial Fisheries ........................................ 160

viii
Fisheries Development Policy and Strategies ........................ 162

CHAPTER 5: THE UTILIZATION OF CAPTURE FISHERY PRODUCTS
Introduction ...................... ..... ...... ... ... ...... 169

Marketing Infrastrctur. ..................................... 169

Distribution and Marketing Networks ............................. 173

The Fish Traders and Marketing Relationships ....................... 174

The Geographical Distribution of Markets for Fishery Products ............ 176

Distribution from Lake Mala~vi Fisheries ......................... 176

Distribution from Lake Malombe and the Upper Shire River .............. 177

Distribution from Lake Chilwa Fisheries ......................... 178

Distribution from the Lower Shire Fisheries ....................... 178

Price Structures .......................................... 178

Fish Consumption Patterns ................................... 183

Consumer Preferences ...... ...................................... 185

Fish Processing and Handling .................................. 187

Conclusion . . .. . ... .. . . .. .. . .. . .. . ... .. ... . . . ... . . . . .. . .. 188

CHAPTER 6: AN OVERVIEW OF AQUACULTURE IN MALAWI
Introduction ............................................. 189

Aquaculture Production in Malai.i ............................... 189

The Aquaculture Policy of the Government of Mala i ..... ................ 189

The History of Aquaculture in Mala.vi ............................. 193

Trout Stocking ............................ ... ......... 193

Fish Stocking in Dams .................................... 194

Aquaculture on Estates ................................... 194

Early Experiments with Aquaculture and Extension ................... 194

The Current Status of Aquaculture in Malaivi ........................ 198

Water Storage Dams and Reservoirs ............................ 198

The Private Sector: Estates ..... .... ........................ 201

The Sugar Company of Mala~ii (SUCOMA) ................... 201

The Dwangwa Sugar Estate ............................ 202

The Kavusi Tea Estate ............................... 203

The Satemwa Tea Estate .............................. 203

The Public Sector ....................................... 203

CHAPTER 7: AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, TRAINING, EXTENSION
AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
Introduction ............................................. 205

Research Facilities and Work Conducted ........................... 205

The Domasi Experimental Fish Farm (DEFF) ...................... 206

Research on Water Quality and Supplementary Inputs to Ponds ........ 207

Research on Indigenous Species .......................... 208

Research on Exotic Species ............................. 211

The Research Strategy at the DEFF ....................... 212

The Kasinthula Pilot Fish Farm (KPFF) .......................... 214

Research Conducted at the KPFF ......................... 215

ix
Research at the Bunda College of Agriculture ......................... 217

Aquaculture Training ........ ....................................... 218

Training Available at Present ................................ 218

Proposals for Manpower Development ........................... 219

Aquaculture Extension ...................................... 221

Aquaculture Development Projects in Malawi ........................ 227

Area Development Projects for Aquaculture ......................... 227

The Central and Northern Regions Fish Farming Development, Extension,

Training and Research Project ...................... 227

The Project on Fish Farming in the Mulanje/Phalombe Districts ........ 229

The Malawi-German Fisheries and Aquacultre Development

Project (MAGFAD) ............................. 230

Research Projects for Aquaculture Development ....................... 230

The ICLARM/GTZ-FD-UM Project, Research for the Development of Tropical

Aquaculture Technology Appropriate 'or Implementation

in Rural Africa ............................... 231

The Polyculture Project of the IDRC ....................... 232

Conclusion .............................................. 232

CHAPTER 8: SMALL-SCALE FARMING SYSTEMS AND AQUACULTURE
Introduction ............................................. 233

The Geographical Distribution of Small-Scale Aquaculture ................. 234

The Southern Region ..................................... 234

The Central Region ..................................... 235

The Northern Region ...... .............................. 236

Small-Scale Aquaculture in Southern Mala.i ........................ 236

The Mulanje District ..................................... 236

The Mwanza District ..................................... 238

Demographic Characteristics ........................... 238

Agricultural Landholdings ............................. 239

Agricultural Systems and Patterns of Garden Cropping .............. 239

The Cultivation Calendar for Garden Crops ................... 239

Garden Crop Yields ................................. 241

Livestock ..... ... ...... ...... ... ... ... ... ....... 242

Household Economies ................................ 242

Aquaculture ..................................... 243

Case Studies of Small-scale Fish Farmers in Mwanza District ......... 244

Farm 1, Jonan Village ........................... 244

Farm 2, Jonan Village ........................... 244

Farm 3, Kumphika Village ........................ 244

Farm 4, Ntaja Village ........................... 245

Farm 5, Leketa Village .......................... 245

The Zomba District ...................................... 245

Demographic Characteristics ........................... 245

Characteristics of Agricultural Landholdings .................. 246

Agricultural Systems and Patterns of Garden Cropping ............ 246

Aquaculture .... ................................. 246

Case Studies of Small-Scale Fish Farmers i Zomba District ........... 246

Farm 1, Minama Village .......................... 246

Farm 2, Chinawa Village ......................... 248

Farm 3., Mbatata Village .......................... 249

x