New study reveals the transformative power of aquaculture in Zambia

February 20, 2024 - A new study reveals for the first-time substantial benefits from adopting smallholder aquaculture for Zambian farmers. The research, published in Agriculture & Food Security, provides compelling evidence of how fish farming diversifies livelihoods and improves food and nutrition in rural areas.

"Showcasing the role of aquaculture to food and nutrition security of rural homesteads in Africa is a relatively difficult thing to prove. For the first time our study in northern Zambia shows that smallholder aquaculture can be a game-changer for local farmers," said Alexander Kaminski, PhD researcher at the University of Stirling's Institute of Aquaculture who undertook the research at WorldFish. "By integrating fish farming into their agricultural practices, households not only diversified their income sources but also significantly improved their dietary variety and overall food security."

The research compared households with and without fishponds, demonstrating that those engaging in fish farming experienced a noticeable enhancement in their livelihoods. These benefits extended beyond a mere income generation leading to a richer, more nutritious diet and a more resilient agricultural system. The study found that adopting aquaculture gave households two time more likelihood to improve their food security status.

Shakuntala Thilsted, CGIAR Director of Nutrition, Health and Food Security and WorldFish Global Lead for Nutrition and Public Health at the time of the research highlighted the implications of the findings. "This study provides clear evidence that fish farming is an invaluable component in the fight against food and nutrition insecurity in Africa. It provides evidence that nutrition-sensitive homestead aquaculture can enrich diets and create sustainable farming systems that benefit the entire communities."

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The Aquaculturists

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