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- The *ICLARM Quarterly
Vol.
24, No. 1 & 2 (January – June 2001)
SocScience
Markets,
Marketing and Production Issues for Aquaculture
in East
Africa: The Case of Uganda
P.
Jagger and J. Pender
Abstract
Aquaculture is currently responsible for an insignificant
proportion of total fish production in Uganda.
However, given the increasing demand for fresh
fish in urban and peri-urban areas, and threats
to the supply of fish from natural catch fisheries,
the potential exists for a strong market in aquaculture.
Small-scale fish farmers located relatively close
to markets or all-season roads, and who can supply
consistent and high quality produce, will have
the widest range of marketing opportunities, and
will likely be within the area of operation of
potential traders and intermediaries that deliver
fish to markets. Fish farmers that are not close
to roads, or produce unreliable quantities and
variable quality products may face high transaction
costs of marketing their product, and decreasing
net returns to production. We also find that significant
on-farm labor, and access to input markets are
important factors leading to positive net returns
to fish production. Areas with high population
density and relatively low wage rates will be
well suited to labor intensive aquaculture. We
conclude that aquaculture development has good
potential in certain areas of Uganda and should
therefore be pursued as a potential development
pathway. However, policy makers should consider
the importance of the price of fresh fish relative
to the cost of labor, as well as other factors
including the importance of smallholder credit
and access to extension services, when directing
investments in aquaculture technology.
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Article (PDF 76 KB)
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