Appendix 5
LUAPULA PROVINCE, ZAMBIA

1 SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE

1.1 DEMOGRAPHY

In 1985 Luapula Province had an estimated total population of 475 339. The total number of households in the province has been estimated to be 100 579 of which 64% are male-headed and 36% are female-headed. Average life expectancy is well below the national average and has been estimated at 43.8 years for males and 44 years for female.

The main ethnic groups are the Swila, Bwila and Lunda around Mwense and Luapula River, Chisalunga on Kawambwa Plateau and Chushi, Ngumba, Kabende and Baunga in Samfya and Lake Bangweulu Region.

1.2 ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

An estimated 84% of the population in Luapula Province lives in rural areas. There are two main economic activities in the province - agriculture and fishing. The main fishing areas are located around Lake Mweru, Lake Bangweulu and the Luapula River. The main agricultural areas are found in the plateau region. Methods of cultivation are similar to those practised in Northern Province Agriculture is hampered by poor soils in many areas.

1.3 RECENT CHANGES

Like Northern Province, maize has in recent years, become the most important cash crop in the province. Previously, cassava was the most important staple crop, but recent destruction of the crop by the cassava mealie bug and government incentives has meant that farmers are giving greater priority to maize. Other main crops cultivated are fingermillet, groundnuts and beans.

Malnutrition is increasing in the province, and has been attributed to low energy intakes in the fishing areas and low protein intakes in the farming areas.

1.4 OFF-FARM INCOMES

As in Northern Province, off-farm incomes are an important component of total annual incomes. Activities include beer brewing, piece-work, charcoal making and trading in the informal sector.

1.5 FISH FARMERS

There are an estimated 320 fish farmers in Luapula Province, with the highest concentration in the farming areas of Kawambwa (33%) and Mansa Districts (35%). Preliminary observations from an ALCOM socio-economic survey of 94 fish farmers (practising, potential and former fish farmers) in the province indicate that most respondents were male, over 35 years, and came from the higher income groups. Fish are reared primarily for household consumption although respondents did expect to earn some cash from the sale of fish. Most respondents stated that farming was their main economic activity.

The majority of respondents replied that they harvested their ponds once or twice a year. 30% of respondents replied that they practised intermittent harvesting, (a direct question on intermittent harvesting had been added to the questionnaire). However, these results should be treated with caution as respondents may have been reluctant to admit to practising intermittent harvesting because current Department of Fisheries policy advises only a complete single harvest of ponds after 6 months.

2 AQUACULTURE PROFILE

2.1 GENERAL BACKGROUND

The physical geographical, climatological and hydrological conditions of the Luapula Province are similar to those of the Northern Province. The most important differences are summarized below.

Topography

The province is dominated by two physical features, namely the plateau with an altitude of 1260–1500 meters a.s.l. and the Luapula Valley (900–1000 meters a.s.l.) divided by a long escarpment.

Prominent features of the Luapula landscape are the dambos which are shallow depressions found on the Central African Plateau. They are grass covered, treeless areas bordering drainage lines, and are seasonally or perennial water-logged, most often with a stream in the centre. They receive water by seepage from sub-surface drainage and from rain water runoff which comes from the surrounding higher ground.

Most dambos in the province belong to the Sour (acidic) type, with only very few either Intermediate or Sweet (alkaline). There are two typical sour dambos in Luapula Province:

• Upland dambos, classical swampy, shallow valleys with central streams, they can be 3km broad and 20km or more long. They are characterized by distinct seepage zones i.e. lines of very small springs that seep through the peat along the periphery of the dambo.

• Valley dambos, are “one sided” shallow valleys, which lead to the swampy margins of a river, lagoon or lake. The seepage zone is a narrow strip of peat which merges into basal swamp.

Soils

Soil profile in the province is dominated by the generally sandy loam and loam sandy, heavily leached soils, with moderate to severe acidity. The acidity of the dambo soils, rich in organic matter, varies between pH 3.7 to 4.7.

Rainfall

Rainfall has declined during the last few years, as in many other parts of Zambia. During the 1987/88 season the annual rainfall ranged between approximately 800 and 900mm (instead of the average 1000–1200mm). In normal periods the province received between 80 to 100 days of rain. Rainfall distribution seems to favour Kawambwa and Samfya districts which receive early rains.

2.2 STATUS OF SMALL-SCALE FISH FARMING

According to the records of the Department of Fisheries there are about 320 fish farmers in the Luapula Province owning around 650 ponds. The distribution of ponds is as follows:

Table 2

DISTRIBUTION OF FISH FARMERS IN LUAPULA PROVINCE

SOURCE. Department of Fisheries

The mission visited 5 fish farmers and one women's group in the Mansa and Samfya Districts. The fish farming techniques and species used are identical to those used in the Northern Province. These techniques are characterized by poor construction and management.

The majority of ponds are supplied by water from springs often in combination with ground water. About 40–50 percent of the ponds are estimated to be constructed in dambos receiving water from seepage and/or springs.

The harvesting strategies of the fish farmers are similar to those applied by fish farmers in the Northern Province. Intermittent harvesting is acknowledged by around 30 percent of the respondents of the ALCOM survey. None of the fish farmers seems to completely drain their ponds, but generally undertake an incomplete batch harvest.

Like in Northern Province, the estimated production is low, i.e. 10–15Kg/are/yr, partially caused by the severe acidity of the dambo seepage zone.

2.3 FISH CULTURE STATIONS

There are two government fish farms in Luapula Province, Fiyongoli near Mansa, and Mwenda in Mwense District. The Fiyongoli Fish Culture Station constructed in 1952 has 21 ponds ranging from 400 to 2500mm² covering a total pond area of 3.4 ha. The station has eight small ponds of about 400m² each. The fish farm is well designed and constructed and needs little upgrading to be fully operational.

The water is supplied by gravity from a reservoir through a water supply canal. In 1988, for the first time since its construction, there was a shortage of water (since August), which was due to the low rainfall of 1987/88 rainy season and particularly to the uneven distribution of the rains.

The Mwenda fish culture station was built in 1972 and covers 23 ponds of a total area of 1.05 ha. The water supply is year round and the water quality appears to be good.

The main constraints of this station seem to be:

• lack of individual water inlets, (only the first series of ponds receive water from a furrow; the remaining ponds are supplied by the drains of the first series).

• lack of individual draining of each pond (see above)

• difficulty to maintain the water level in all the ponds due to seepage.