Combining Post-Harvest Fish Value Chain and Social Change Interventions in Zambia and Malawi (CultiAF)
While fish resources are critical to the livelihoods of 700 million people worldwide, they are not achieving their full potential in Africa. This project will examine interventions to reduce poverty and to improve food and nutrition security using post-harvest innovations in the fish value chain. Post-harvest handling in Zambia and Malawi In the Barotse Floodplain of Zambia and the Lake Chilwa Basin in Malawi, poor post-harvest fish handling is common. The result is substantial economic losses and the potential for reduced nutrients in the fish. There are other challenges. Social norms and power relations in the industry are inequitable. Women's and men's share of the economic benefits is both reduced and inequitable throughout the fish value chain. Improving conditions The project aims to improve the performance, governance, and equity of fish value chains in Malawi and Zambia. The research team's methodology will combine technical fish handling and processing practices with social innovations and gender transformative approaches. These approaches help communities understand and question the social norms that lead to inequalities between men and women. Researchers will conduct a baseline assessment of current losses in post-harvest fish biomass, economic value, and nutrient content along the local value chain. They will use participatory approaches to identify and pilot different fish handling and processing practices, including brining, solar drying, and smoking. Better practices, better lives The team will then integrate social change interventions and gender transformative approaches to address the problems in the fish value chains. These interventions, when widely adopted, are expected to yield the following benefits: -reduced fish and nutrient losses -sustained increases in economic benefits -improved equity in benefits sharing among men and women. They will also improve food and nutritional security levels. Project leadership The project is a partnership between Zambia's Department of Fisheries, the University of Zambia, and Chancellor College, University of Malawi and is funded through the Cultivate Africa's Future Fund (CultiAF), a joint program of the Australian International Food Security Research Centre of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and IDRC. CultiAF supports research to achieve long-term food security in Eastern and Southern Africa.
Project ID
107837
Project Status
Completed
End Date
Duration
30 months
IDRC Officer
Jemimah Njuki
Total Funding
CA$ 1,433,599.00
Location
Malawi
Zambia
Programs
Agriculture and Food Security
Cultivate Africa's Future
Institution Country
zambia
Project Leader
Dr. Alexander Shula Kefi
Institution
Zambia. Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock
Institution Country
malawi
Project Leader
Dr. Magani Katundu
Institution
University of Malawi
Institution Country
zambia
Project Leader
Dr. Nyambe Lisulo Mkandawire
Institution
Council of the University of Zambia
Institution Website
Outputs
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Gender accommodative versus transformative approaches : a comparative assessment within a post-harvest fish loss reduction intervention Article
The study investigated influence on decision-making powers in relation to income generated through fishing, processing, or trading fish; ownership status of key value chain assets; and changes in gender attitudes. In small-scale fisheries women often lack access to or control over fishing gear resources and assets. Results suggest that the use of a transformative approach helped build a critical consciousness at community and other levels and led to greater gains for women and the community. Extension and value chain development programs in small-scale fisheries, aquaculture, and agriculture increasingly recognize gender constraints that create disadvantages for women and other social groups. Author(s): Cole, Steven M., Kaminski, Alexander M., McDougall, Cynthia, Kefi, Alexander S., Marinda, Pamela A., Maliko, Modern, Mtonga, Johans Language: English |
Improving fish post-harvest management and marketing in Malawi and Zambia Brief
This policy brief provides an overview of the project, which increased the adoption of innovations for post-harvest management of fish and addressed social norms governing benefit sharing across fish value chains. By utilizing the introduced technologies, fish processors increased their gross margins from 4.7% to 25.26%, while traders saw an increase from 22.8% to 25.3%. Poor processing and management of fish products results in losses worth up to US$5 billion each year. Limited involvement of women further weakens the economic value of fish at household, community and regional levels. Women’s ownership of fishing assets increased over the course of the project, from 44% to 76%. Author(s): Cole, Steven, Kefi, Alexander Shula, Katundu, Mangani, Mkandawire, Nyambe Lisulo Language: English |
Improving fish post-harvest management and marketing in Malawi and Zambia : project profile Brief
Working with fishing communities in Barotse (Barotse floodplain, Zambia) and Lake Chilwa (Malawi), 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. Researchers will evaluate post-harvest fish processing practices to improve their effectiveness, reduce losses, and promote greater equity among the men and women who work in the fisheries sector. Poor processing and management are major factors, resulting in losses worth up to US$5 billion each year. Author(s): Cultivate Africa’s Future (CultiAf) Language: English |
Gender transformative change in Malawian and Zambian fishery value chains : gender outcomes Brief
This brief explains the gender transformative approach which was adopted throughout the project to address harmful social and gender norms and power relations that constrain women fishery producers. The project developed and tested postharvest fish processing technologies (solar tent dryers, smoking kilns, salting) to help reduce losses. Qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to uncover the complex causes of fish post-harvest loss with a special focus on processing. Women’s Empowerment in Fisheries Index (WEFI) is a valuable instrument for application in small-scale fishery settings to assess gendered dynamics. Author(s): Cole, Steven M., Kaminski, Alexander M., Magalasi, Mufunanji, Nagoli, Joseph, Binauli, Lucy Language: English |
Improving livelihood security and gender relations in rural Zambia and Malawi through post-harvest fish value chain innovations and social change interventions - final technical report Report
The project identifies and evaluates interventions to improve livelihood security and gender relations through post-harvest fish value chain innovations: first by targeting the processing node in the value chain to reduce losses and improve the quality of fish being processed; second, by piloting women-sensitive technologies that help decrease time and labor burdens of women; and third, through design and testing of social change interventions that highlight gendered roles and power relations in the value chain, and in particular within the processing node. Author(s): Kefi, Alexander Shula, Katundu, Mangani, Mkandawire, Nyambe Lisulo Language: English |
Gender-transformative approaches to address inequalities in food, nutrition and economic outcomes in aquatic agricultural systems Paper
Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) uses gender-transformative approaches to help achieve the goal of enhancing development outcomes of resource-poor women and men and their families. This paper details the approaches utilized by the program and their implementation in its five learning hubs (Solomon Islands, Philippines, Cambodia, Bangladesh and Zambia), located in areas where dependence on aquatic agricultural systems is high. Author(s): Cole, Steven M., Kantor, Paula, Sarapura, Silvia, Rajaratnam, Surendran Language: English |
Postharvest fish losses and unequal gender relations : drivers of the socialecological trap in the Barotse Floodplain fishery, Zambia Article
The paper examines existing fishery-dependent livelihood contexts in terms of a “social-ecological trap,” a process whereby rigid and persistent behavioral responses are applied due to lack of capacity to adapt beyond this thinking. A gender lens is used to look beyond the primary sector (fishing) and to include considerations of a secondary sector (postharvest fish processing) as an important dimension in the social-ecological trap paradigm. Findings show that postharvest fish losses and unequal gender relations are two drivers of the “trap” in the floodplain fishery. This process highlights interconnections between people and their natural environment as elements of social-ecological systems. Author(s): Cole, Steven M., McDougall, Cynthia, Kaminski, Alexander M., Kefi, Alexander S., Chilala, Alex, Chisule, Gethings Language: English |
Changement transformateur des relations entre les sexes dans la chaîne de valeur du secteur des pêches : résultats relatifs au genre Dossiers
Author(s): Cole, Steven M., Kaminski, Alexander M., Magalasi, Mufunanji, Nagoli, Joseph, Binauli, Lucy Binauli Language: French |
Social and gender analysis report : Barotse Floodplain, Western Province, Zambia Paper
The report presents a review of literature relevant to livelihoods, ecosystem services, and gender and social relations in Zambia, with a specific focus on the Western Province, where Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) is currently implemented. It also presents a synthesis of findings of social and gender analyses (2013) in ten communities situated in and around the Barotse Floodplain. Women in the floodplain are heavily engaged in fish processing, with children often assisting their mothers or female relatives in drying fish. Findings in this comprehensive study report provide contextual and baseline data for ongoing monitoring of the AAS program. Author(s): Rajaratnam, Surendran, Cole, Steven M., Fox, Karyn M., Dierksmeirer, Benjamin, Puskur, Ranjitha, Zulu, Festus, Jiau, Teoh Shwu, Situmo, Judy Language: English |
Collaborative effort to operationalize the gender transformative approach in the Barotse Floodplain Study
Agricultural interventions that aim at alleviating rural poverty have important gender implications. The paper explores a Gender Transformative Approach recognizing that fishing, post- harvest processing, and trading are all gendered activities. On the Barotse Floodplain (Zambia) women are relegated to perform tasks within less profitable nodes of the fish value chain. The assessment of ecosystem services in a select number of Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS) focal communities included women’s and men’s perspectives and diverse provisioning, regulating and cultural ecosystem services. Author(s): Cole, Steven M., van Koppen, Barbara, Puskur, Ranjitha, Estrada, Natalia, DeClerck, Fabrice, Baidu-Forson, Joseph Jojo, Remans, Roseline, Mapedza, Everisto, Longley, Catherine, Muyaule, Conrad, Zulu, Festus Language: English |