Assessment of Fish Exports from Blantyre District, Southern Malawi

Öz

This study presents findings on fish exports from Blantyre, which is the biggest commercial city in Malawi. A cross-sectional research design was used in the study in which fish quantities, species, processing methods, gender of fish exporters and export destinations were analysed. Non-probability data collection methods were used on the secondary data that was collected from Blantyre District Fisheries Office. Findings indicate that a total of 9596 kg (9.6 metric tonnes) of fish was exported within a period of six months in the year 2013 comprising all species available in the local markets and those endemic in Malawi’s water bodies. Most fish were exported as sun-dried, para-boiled and smoked. Findings suggest that fish exports from Malawi are in their infancy, fluctuate, and are insignificant for making a positive and sustainable impact to the economy of the country. It is recommended that national and regional policies should be fully utilized to curb exports of fish in order to sustainably satisfy the local huge demand for fish. About 82.6% of the fish exporters were women underpinning the need for policy considerations that value their critical role in the fish export trade such as women empowerment.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Fish exports,species,processing,destinations,gender

Kaynakça

1. Bhattacherjee A. 2012. Social science research: principles, methods and practices. 2nd ed. Florida: Anol Bhattacherjee 159 p.
2. Commonwealth/GTZ. 2007. ESA meeting on trade and sustainable approaches to fisheries negotiations under WTO/EPA. Port Louis: ESA. Report No.: (07) 05.
3. Donda S, Njaya F. 2007. Food security and poverty alleviation through improved valuation and governance of river fisheries in Africa: Fisheries co-management in Malawi, analysis of the underlying policy progress; [cited 2018 Jan 04]. Available from http://pubs.iclarm.net/wfcms/file/bmz/Malawi_policy.pdf.
4. Government of Malawi (GoM). 2011. Annual economic report 2012. Lilongwe: Ministry of Development Planning and Cooperation.
5. Government of Malawi (GoM). 2012. National fisheries policy 2012-2017. 2nd ed. Lilongwe: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
6. Haambiya L, Matiya G, Msukwa A, Kapute F, Sikawa D. 2013. Factors that influence effectiveness of local organisations in promoting community participation in artisanal fisheries management in Malawi: A case of Mbenji island fishery. Malawi Aqua Fish. 2(1):1-7.
7. Jayalal L, Ramachandran A. 2012. Export trend of Indian ornamental fish industry. Agric Bio J North America. 3(11):439–451. doi:10.5251/abjna.2012.3.11.439.451.
8. Kapute F. 2009. Fish quality and processing in Malawi: Responding to challenges through institutional capacity building. Reykjavik: United Nations University Fisheries Training Programme (UNU-FTP) Project Report.

9. Kapute F. 2017. Chasing Malawi fish: the irony of local fish scarcity versus exports. The 2017 Malawi Fisheries and Aquaculture Symposium 22nd to 24th November 2017. Sun n Sand Holiday Resort, Mangochi. Malawi.
10. Manyungwa-Pasani CL, Hara M, Chimatiro SK. 2017. Women’s participation in fish value chains and value chain governance in Malawi: a case of Msaka (Lake Malawi) and Kachulu (Lake Chilwa). Cape Town: Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies. Working Paper No.: 45.
11. Mussa H, Kaunda E, Chimatiro S, Banda L, Nankwenya B, Nyengere J. 2017. Assessment of informal cross border fish trade in the southern African region: a case of Malawi and Zambia. Paper presented at: Malawi Fisheries and Aquaculture Forum; Mangochi, Malawi.
12. Singini W. 2013. Bioeconomic analysis of Chambo (Oreochromis spp.) and Kambuzi (small Haplochromine spp.) fish stocks of Lake Malombe. [PhD Thesis], University of Malawi. 199 p.
13. Ukaonu SU, Mbawuike BC, Uluwajoba EO, Williams AB, Ajuonu N, Omogoriota HO, Olakolu FC, Adegbile OM, Myade EF. 2011. Volume and value of ornamental fishes in the Nigerian export trade. Agr Bio J North America. 2(4):661-664. doi:10.5251/abjna.2011.2.4.661.664.