UTILIZATION OF SMALL WATER BODIES, BOTSWANA
GCP/INT/436/SWE.12
| UTILIZATION OF SMALL WATER BODIES, BOTSWANA |
RESULTS OF A SOCIO-ECONOMIC SURVEY ON FISH
CONSUMPTION AND FISHING
By
Sevaly Sen
Consultant Socio-economist
This report was prepared during the course of the project identified on the title page. The conclusions and recommendations given in the report are those considered appropriate at the time of its preparation. They may be modified in the light of further knowledge gained at subsequent stages of the project.
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the United Nations or the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal or constitutional status of any country, territory or sea area, or concerning the delimitation of frontiers.
ALCOM (Aquaculture for Local Community Development Programme is executed by FAO with funding from Sweden. It is an inter-regional programme although its activities are focused on the SADCC countries of Southern Africa.
The aim is to develop test and demonstrate methods and techniques by which rural people can improve their standard of living through aquaculture.
The mode of work is to deal with problems facing aquaculture development in a rural/community development context through indepth studies, training and pilot projects, the results of which are intended for larger scale application.
Seven target areas have been defined: aquaculture and farming systems, utilization of small water bodies, environmental aspects of aquaculture, extension/training, women and youth in aquaculture, data for national planning and project design and development support.
The report documents the findings of a socio-economic survey on fishing activities, fish eating habits and attitudes in communities around reservoirs in Botswana. The survey was part of the preparations of a pilot project on the utilisation of small water bodies.
Addresses :
| Harare | Mail : | P O Box 3730, Harare, Zimbabwe |
| Telex : | 26040 FAO ZW | |
| Fax : | 263-4-729563 | |
| Lusaka | Central Fisheries Research Institute, Chilanga | |
| Mail : | P O Box 30563, Lusaka, Zambia | |
| Telex : | 44510 FAO ZM ZA | |
| Fax : | 260-1-221927 | |
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Harare, Zimbabwe, November 1990
Hyperlinks to non-FAO Internet sites do not imply any official endorsement of or responsibility for the opinions, ideas, data or products presented at these locations, or guarantee the validity of the information provided. The sole purpose of links to non-FAO sites is to indicate further information available on related topics.
This electronic document has been scanned using optical character recognition (OCR) software. FAO declines all responsibility for any discrepancies that may exist between the present document and its original printed version.
MAP 1: BOTSWANA AND LOCATION OF SURVEY SITES
3.1 Aim
3.2 Methodology
3.3 Site Selection
3.4 Sample size
3.4.1 Survey 1: Fish eating habits & attitudes
3.4.2 Survey 2: Fishing activities
3.5 Introduction of the Survey Team
4. MAIN FINDINGS OF SURVEY 1: FISH CONSUMPTION AND FISH EATING ATTITUDES
4.1. Description of Household Heads
4.2 Description of Respondents
4.3. Household Composition and Size
4.4 Age of Household Members
4.5 Main sources of income for households
4.6 Distance to the dam
4.7 Consumption of Fish
5.1.1 Distribution of fresh fish eating
households
5.1.2 Basic socio-economic characteristics of
FFE households
5.1.3 Sources of income in FFE households
5.1.4 Distance to the dam
5.1.5 When and where households ate fresh
fish for the first time
5.1.6 Who eats fresh fish
5.1.7 Frequency and seasonality of fish
consumption
5.1.8 Source of fresh fish
5.1.9 Types of fish eaten
5.1.10 Processing
5.1.11 Cooking methods
5.1.12 Utilization of surplus fish
5.1.13 Reasons why households do not eat more
fish
5.1.14 Households that do not eat fresh fish
5.2 Consumption of Fish, other than Fresh Fish
5.3 Fish as Weaning Food
5.4 Frequency of Fish Consumption relative to
Consumption of Other Sources of Animal and
Vegetable Protein
5.5 Interest in Learning How to Catch Fresh Fish
5.6 Non-fish eating households
5.7 Cultural taboos towards the eating of fish
6. RESULTS OF SURVEY 2: FISHING ACTIVITY
6.1 Number of Fishermen Interviewed
6.2 Age and Economic Activity
6.3 Leisure Fishermen
6.4 Reasons for, and Ways of Getting, to the Dam
6.5 Permission to fish
6.6 Fishing Frequency
6.7 Fishing Methods
6.8 Where or from whom respondents learnt to fish
6.9 Type of Fish Caught
6.10 Size and Composition of Catch
6.11 Processing, Preparation and Preservation
6.12 Disposal of Catch
6.13 Sale of Fish
6.14 Estimates of the Level of Fishing Effort
6.15 Fishing at Other Dams
6.16 Responses to Possibilities of Increased Catches
7.1 Wholesale and Retail Traders of Fish in/to
Eastern Botswana
7.2 Import Data
7.3 The Household Income and Expenditure Survey
1986/87 (HIES)
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRES 1 AND 2: FISH CONSUMPTION AND FISHING ACTIVITY
APPENDIX 2: SAMPLING METHODOLOGY
APPENDIX 3: HOUSEHOLD INCOME AND EXPENDITURE SURVEY 1985/86
As part of the preparatory phase of ALCOM's Pilot Project on the Utilization of Small Water Bodies in Botswana, a socio-economic survey was carried out amongst communities living around seven selected dams in south-eastern Botswana. The main aims of the survey were to determine fish consumption patterns and attitudes as well as the types of fishermen and the level of their current activity.
To implement the survey, two interview schedules were used, Survey 1 was designed to gather information of fish consumption patterns and Survey 2 was designed to gather information on fishermen/women.
For Survey 1, a quasi-randomly selected sample of 343 households were interviewed on their fish consumption patterns. These interviews were carried out at households living around all seven dams. For Survey 2, as no information existed on the number of people fishing, anyone seen fishing, or was identified as a fishermen either from Survey 1 or through key informants, was interviewed. In total, 37 fishermen/women were interviewed.
Results from Survey 1 show that approximately 20 % of the households interviewed have eaten fresh fish, albeit very rarely. The most common reason for not eating fresh fish was that it was not available to buy. The main source of fresh fish came from fishermen in the household catching fish in the dam. Tilapia (bream) is the preferred species, although barbel is also eaten.
Households usually fry fish, but many sun-dry fish before cooking either because the taste is preferred or for preservation purposes. Fresh fish is usually not fed to weaning children as it is considered to have too many bones.
The results also reveal that just over 80 % of the total sample eat tinned fish, usually tinned pilchards in chili sauce. Other types of fish such as frozen or salted fish are eaten by a negligible number of the households, because they are not easily available except in the larger supermarkets in main villages (frozen only). Tinned fish (in tomato sauce) is also fed to children as soon as they start weaning.
Households said there were no cultural taboos concerning the consumption of fish, and this was confirmed by the large proportion of households that eat tinned fish.
Just under 20% of interviewed households did not eat fish of any kind. The results suggest that these households are usually characterized by having older household heads with fewer adult members and children.
The results from Survey 2, indicate that most local people presently fishing are mainly children or youths, predominantly male, who fish with hook and line in the summer only. Most were at school or unemployed; only one person claimed to be a full-time fishermen. Tilapia and barbel are the main species caught. The catch is generally taken home and consumed within the household, although some fishermen sell a part of their catch to general customers or expatriates who are fishing or camping along the dam. All were interested in improving their catches, primarily for home consumption.
Seven leisure fishermen were also interviewed all of whom fish in more than one dam. All those interviewed were adult males who usually fished on weekends and holidays, using a rod and reel. They preferred to catch tilapia and gave away any barbel they catch to on-lookers. They never sell fish. They say they are satisfied with the amount they catch.
It is concluded that the survey repudiates earlier assumptions that people in eastern Botswana do not eat fish and suggests that availability and knowledge concerning how to cook fish are the main constraints preventing people from eating more fish. It is also concluded that fish should not be seen as a replacement to any of the traditional sources of protein in a Batswana diet, but should be regarded as an addition to this diet.
It is also concluded that fishing is still considered a part-time activity undertaken by people, mainly boys, who have some spare time to fish. However, the increase in the numbers of people fishing may serve as an indicator that there is a growing realization that fishing can not only provide food, but also some cash as well. It is suggested that the demand for fishing areas by leisure fishermen may be another way in which the community as a whole, living around dams, can earn some income by charging for licenses to fish in the dam.
Finally, it is concluded that although fish consumption per household will remain fairly small relative to the consumption of other animal proteins, preparation demonstrations and tasting sessions are likely to increase the number of households eating fresh fish.