Fish products are highly traded and global fish trade has been increasing very rapidly in recent decades with an estimated 45% of the world catch now traded internationally. West Africa has a huge potential for trade in intra-regional terms and vibrant markets for fish and fish products in Nigeria, Ghana and the Ivory Coast being the three major importers of fish products in the region. Intra-regional fish trade is important in improving food and nutritional security; and poverty eradication in Africa.

The study of dagaa trade on Lake Victoria for improved nutrition, food security and incomes was conducted by members of the LVFO Regional Socio-economics Working Group from NaFIRRI, KMFRI and TAFIRI with funding from the European Union provided under the Fish Trade Program of WorldFish, titled “Improving Food Security and Reducing Poverty through intra-regional Fish Trade in Africa.” Dagaa was chosen due to its importance on Lake Victoria for nutritional values and as source of food security, incomes and foreign exchange earnings for the region.

The study focused on understanding the preferences of fish, the factors affecting preferences and willingness to pay. Interviews were conducted in four areas of Diepsloot, Johannesburg, Randburg and Yeoville. A total of 128 respondents, comprising of 11 nationalities, were interviewed over a period of three days. Data was collected on purchasing behavior, consumption behavior and willingness to pay.

Improvement of food, nutritional security and poverty reduction in Africa can be addressed through better integration of intra-regional fish trade into the nation-state policy agenda. Data crucial to the development of regional fish trade needs to be obtained. However, there is paucity of information on market structure, products and value of fish trade along regional borders in Africa.

Better integration of intra-regional fish trade into nation-state policy agenda is reported as a tool for improving food and nutritional security; and poverty reduction in Africa. However, critical information on market structure and value of intra-regional fish trade needed to ensure food security in the West African corridor are very limited. This study therefore investigated the marketing nodes and structure for fish trade along Nigeria-Cameroon-Chad border. Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Benue, Taraba, Adamawa and Borno States along Nigeria-Cameroon Chad border were selected for this study.

This study was conducted through an in-depth interview and literature analysis. A concise questionnaire was designed with the intention to obtain all primary information needed through the interview sessions. A stratified random sampling method was used to select farmers to interview. In total, seventy-three farmers from Lhokseumawe, and Northern and Eastern Aceh Regency were evaluated. Among these 73, 24 were traditional farmers cultivating L. vannamei and 34 cultivating P. monodon, while 15 farmed L. vannamei by applying the intensive technique.

Blue Economy Challenge - Malaysia

Raw household data from a 2013 survey, focusing on fishing and other livelihoods.

There is increasing awareness that integrating gender into development frameworks is critical for effective implementation of development strategies. In working to alleviate rural poverty, the CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) recognizes that “business as usual” gender integration approaches will not deliver lasting and widespread improvements in agricultural productivity, poverty reduction and food security. In response, AAS operationalized a gender transformative approach.

Working with fishing communities in Barotse and Lake Chilwa, and other partners, the project will analyze fish value chains, including the differing roles of men and women, to understand how losses occur in fish volume, nutrient content, and economic value. The research team will then develop and pilot interventions to reduce these losses, while also addressing issues connected to gender and power. These interventions will include improved processing methods, such as parboiling, solar drying, and kilning.