Performance of Oreochromis niloticus and Oreochromis andersonii in controlled laboratory conditions in Zambia

In the present study, two hatchery strains of Oreochromis niloticus and two of O. andersonii sourced from different hatcheries in Zambia were subjected to the same feeding and management regimes in a controlled indoor tank environment. All strains were stocked at a mean weight of 2.1 ± 0.01 g and harvested after 175 days. Mean final body weight at harvest for the two O. andersonii groups was 65.2 ± 31.5 g and 73.8 ± 38.5 g, which was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those for the two O. niloticus groups at 178.5 ± 74.7 g and 187.8 ± 73.6 g. There was no significant difference in body weight at harvest between hatchery strains within either species. The mean specific growth rate (SGR) and the daily growth coefficients (DGC) had similar patterns with the O. niloticus strains DGC values more than one and half times those of O. andersonii. The high survival values within all groups (range 86–96 %), their good condition factor index values (range 3.2–3.5) and lack of significant differences between species indicated the experimental conditions were suitable for both species and provided a valid test of their relative growth. Food conversion ratios (FCRs) for O. niloticus of 1.22 ± 0.11 and 1.07 ± 0.05 were significantly (P < 0.05) better than for O. andersonii of 1.81 ± 0.10 and 1.84 ± 0.18. The experiment provided rare well-controlled data comparing the growth performance of these species and different hatchery strains in Zambia, as a contribution to better informing investment decisions for the aquaculture industry there and in Southern Africa

The impacts of covid-19 on gender dynamics and power relations among men and women involved in cross border fish trade in Zambia and Malawi

This paper explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to mitigate it on gender dynamics and power relations among men and women involved in cross border fish trade in Zambia and Malawi and the ensuing policy implications to support the fisheries value chain. The paper is based on qualitative and quantitative data collected in Zambia and Malawi in October and November 2021. We conducted quantitative surveys implemented the Cognitive Edge Sensemaker Tool and the Emergency Market Mapping and Analysis toolkit (EMMA to understand the dynamics of cross border fish trade before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. A social relations approach, focusing on gender relations, was used to analyze the data. Findings suggest that women cross-border fish traders are caught up in a complex web of networks and relationships that are disempowering to them. Some measures put in place to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lacked an understanding of the historical perspective and dynamics of women in fish trading communities further marginalizing men and women cross border fish traders. Some measures exacerbated hidden violence against women and overt forms of violence against men. Since most of the violence occur across state boundaries, there is a need for inter-country coordination to ensure that the rights of women and men cross border fish traders are protected. Policy measures could include educating police officers for even-handedness when enforcing COVID-19 rules and providing mechanisms for reporting abusive practices

Social Networks and Commercialisation of African Indigenous Vegetables in Kenya

This paper employs a two-stage Cragg’s double-hurdle model to assess the effects of market information networks on commercialisation decisions of smallholders of African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs). We explore sources of market information and social networks for information exchange as determinants of the decision to sell and how much volume to sell. The paper is based on household survey data collected in Western Kenya from 202 farmers, using multistage sampling. Findings show market information networks to have positive effects on the second stage decision of volumes sold. Bridging social capital depicted by information received from people outside farmers’ own village had the likelihood of increasing volumes of AIVs sold. Other determinants of commercialisation were farm size and household size which reported positive marginal effects while age, livestock units and off-farm income reported negative marginal effects. We recommend the need to have policy frameworks that strengthen network linkages for farmers aimed at promoting market information exchange, as this will have a positive effect in the commercialisation of indigenous crops.Peer Reviewe

Beyond a unitary household measure: Does Gender matter in Legume Seed Systems among Smallholder Farmers?

We employ a non-unitary household model to analyze the main Pigeonpea seed channels in Kenya. The paper is based on a household survey conducted on 500 randomly selected households within three counties of Eastern Kenya. The study sites are based on the distance from the main trading center (county headquarters) which informs agro business infrastructure. We assess the participation in seed channels with regards to joint plots, women plots and male plots for Pigeonpeas legumes. More than half of the Pigeonpea plots (53%) in the sample are managed jointly by men and women; while around 10% are managed entirely by women. There were very few plots (0.2%) managed by men alone. The main legumes seed sources are own saved seeds and cereal stockists. There is very limited sourcing from the certified seed channel (10%), the certified seeds from agrovets were only acquired for the joint plots only. Using a multinomial logistic regression, we analyze the factors influencing the choice of Pigeonpea seed channels, encompassing characteristics of the wife of the household head. More educated wives and wives with high exposure to extension services were more likely to access seed from the agrovets; these variables were however not significant for the male head. Other significant determinants were total livestock unit, distance to the source of seed, amount of seed required, location of the household, and occupation. We conclude that targeting women farmers with knowledge and capacity building on the advantages of using certified seeds for legumes has the potential to enhance adoption of legumes in Eastern Kenya

Gendered predictors of the impact of COVID-19 on cross-border fish trade in Zambia and Malawi

Purpose – While the literature has highlighted the impacts of COVID-19, there is limited evidence on the gendered determinants of the impact of COVID-19 among small-scale rural traders in developing and emerging economies. Design/methodology/approach – Cross-border fish traders who had operated before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were interviewed in a survey conducted in Zambia and Malawi. Logistic regressions among male and female traders were employed to assess the gendered predictors. Findings – Heterogeneous effects in geographical location, skills, and knowledge were reported among male cross-border traders. Effects of household structure and composition significantly influenced the impact of COVID-19 among female traders. Surprisingly, membership in trade associations was associated with the high impact of COVID-19. Research limitations/implications – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the migratory nature of crossborder fish traders, the population of cross-border fish traders at the time of the study was unknown and difficult to establish, cross-border fish traders (CBFT) at the landing sites and market areas were targeted for the survey without bias. Originality/value – This paper addresses a gap in the literature on understanding gendered predictors of the impacts of COVID-19 among small-scale cross-border traders

Climate-smart aquaculture practices for smallholder fish farmers in Zambia: Integrated fish-livestock training workshop report

Training on climate-smart aquaculture (CSA) practices for smallholder fish farmers targeted small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs (SMEs) in Zambia, as well as fisheries and livestock extension officers offering services to the farmers. The SMEs included recipients of accelerator grants from the Accelerating the Impact of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) project that were given for the aquaculture value chain and other SMEs offering aquaculture-related goods and services. WorldFish hosted the training, which was facilitated with staff from WorldFish and Musika as well as experts from both the Livestock Development and Veterinary Services departments in the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MFL). The aim was to hold a training of trainers (TOTs) workshop on integrated agriculture-aquaculture systems (IAAS), with the focus on integrating fish and small livestock. IAAS is a climate-smart practice that helps farmers become resilient against weather variability. The TOT also focused on better management practices (BMPs) for integrating livestock and fish, but also on gender equity and social inclusion (GESI), as devising gender-inclusive ways helps develop resilient farming and food systems against climate risks. The GESI training aimed to train SMEs on how to target both men and women with services, extension and climate information and for them to understand why GESI is necessary. The workshop had three primary objectives: 1. Conduct training on IAAS, with a focus on integrating fish and small livestock, such as poultry and goats. 2. Conduct training on BMPs in livestock-fish integrated systems. 3. Conduct training on GESI in relation to IAAS. A total of 55 participants (27 women and 28 men) took part in the training, 21 of whom were youths (under 35 years of age). By the end of the workshop, participants had acquired knowledge on CSA practices related to IAAS. Additionally, the SMEs implementing the accelerator grant activities for the aquaculture value chain were able to use some of the outputs of the workshop to develop a gender and inclusion strategy for activities related to CSA and climate information services (CIS)