FI:TCP/ZAM/4519 (A)
Field Document
September 1986

TECHNICAL COOPERATION PROGRAMME

ZAMBIA

Final report prepared for the
Rural Fish Culture Extension Centre Project

based on the work of

E. Cayron-Thomas
Fish Culture Extension Officer

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.

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome, 1986

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.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION AND TERMS OF REFERENCE

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

3. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

4. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

4.1 Fish culture extension and demonstration centre at Chilanga

4.2 Raising Peking ducks - in-service training

4.3 Practical fish culture training course

4.4 Filmstrip on integrated fish farming using ducks

4.5 The national workshop on fish farming extension

4.6 Fish seed distribution at Chilanga

5. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS

6. RECOMMENDATIONS

Appendix 1: LIST OF EQUIPMENT PURCHASED BY TCP/ZAM/4519 (A)

Appendix 2: NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON FISH FARMING EXTENSION

Appendix 3: FISH SEED DISTRIBUTION FROM CHILANGA EXTENSION CENTRE

Table 1: Fry/fingerlings harvested

Figure 1: Spurwing Ponds

1. INTRODUCTION AND TERMS OF REFERENCE

The Government of Zambia, assisted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations through its Technical Cooperation Programme, is engaged in the project Establishment of a Rural Fish Culture Extension Centre (TCP/ZAM/4519 (A)) whose main objectives are to train selected staff members of the Fisheries Department in fish culture extension practices and also to prepare extension material and organize the distribution of tilapia and fingerlings to farmers.

As part of the project operations, FAO assigned Ms Emanuelle Cayron-Thomas as Fish Culture Extension Officer for a six-month period from 1 December 1985 to 31 May 1986. The original terms of reference were as follows:

• to organize a core fish culture extension Centre at the Chilanga Fish Farm as stated in the project document,

• to organize practical demonstration programmes for the benefit of fish farmers and extension workers,

• to develop fingerling production and distribution facilities,

• to train fish culture extension workers,

• to prepare extension pamphlets (in English and local language) and a film strip,

• to develop plans for the establishment of a major fish culture extension service in the country

2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Two new modern fish farm complexes were established, one in Mwekera (Copperbelt Province) with 18 production ponds (4.5 hectares) and the other in Chipata (Eastern Province) with nine production ponds (4.5 hectares). On both farms a series of old renovated ponds are serving as breeding and rearing ponds.

The Chilanga fish farm has operated the same way, using mainly, renovated old ponds (4.3 hectares) specialized into breeding, rearing and production ponds.

The technical programme at these farms has been in operation under the FAO/UNDP Fish Culture Development project ZAM/79/005 and valuable results were obtained using the three following methods:

1. Integrated fish farming using ducks

2. Integrated fish farming using pigs

3. Fish culture by feeding and fertilization

To support the development of fish culture in Zambia, it was found necessary to establish a Pilot Fish Seed Production and Distribution Centre at Chilanga that would develop different tilapia breeding systems, nursery and rearing practices and fish seed transportation methods. Results of interest were produced by the project TCP/ZAM/4405(A).

The technology of integrated fish farming is ready for transfer to the field. The Government has already formulated two major fish culture projects to be funded under bilateral/ multilateral programmes. The first project is to continue the technical programme at Chilanga, Mwekera and Chipata started by the FAO/UNDP project, with an emphasis on extension. The second is to establish the National Aquaculture Centre at Chilanga which will train extension workers for the Fish Culture Division of the Fisheries Department of Zambia.

Pending the implementation of these major projects in 1987, it was considered essential to develop, at the Chilanga fish farm, a Rural Fish Culture Extension Centre for the purpose of training selected staff members of the Fisheries Department in fish culture extension practices and also to prepare extension material and organize the distribution of tilapia and fingerlings to farmers.

The Government officially requested the assistance of FAO in September 1985. The project document, presented to the Technical Cooperation Programme, was approved on 21 November 1985 with a budget of US $72 000.

3. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION

The project started with the assignment of an FAO aquaculturist as Fish Culture Extension Officer. This FAO expert carried out the programme with the help of one counterpart aquaculturist in association with the FAO/UNDP project.

The Government made available the Spurwing ponds complex in Chilanga (Figure 1) which was modified and organized as the Fish Culture Extension and Demonstration Centre.

A special in-service training was organized at Chilanga in December 1985 and January 1986 to train counterpart staff from Mwekera and Chipata.

From 21 February to 6 March 1986 a practical fish culture training course was organized in Mwekera for new fish culture extension workers of the Fisheries Department.

A film strip on integrated fish farming, using ducks, has been prepared in collaboration with the Development Support Communication Section and the Rural Information Services of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Development of Zambia.

A national workshop on fish farming extension took place on Makeni, near Lusaka, from 7 April to 10 April 1986. Thirteen fish culturists from the Fisheries Department and representatives of the Department of Agriculture, banking institutions and the Village Industry Service attended the workshop (Section 4.5).

The distribution of fish seed was organized and standardized at Chilanga and the methodology of fish seed production, developed by the previous project (TCP/ZAM/4405), was extended both to the Mwekera and the Chipata fish farms.

4. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS

4.1 FISH CULTURE EXTENSION AND DEMONSTRATION CENTRE AT CHILANGA

The Spurwing ponds complex is ideally situated along the main road between Lusaka and Kafue (Figure 1).

The four-pond complex has been organized to demonstrate the following fish farming methods:

A small building was erected that will operate as an extension centre and office. The office will be used as an information centre where filmstrips can be viewed and reference books consulted by fish farmers.

The pond complex was also connected to the electricity supply and security lights were installed. The complex still needs further improvement to be an ideal demonstration centre. The furrows and the pond outlets require renovation or modification.

4.2 RAISING PEKING DUCKS - IN-SERVICE TRAINING

Since September 1982, a duck hatchery was operating in Chilanga only. The hatchery could only produce the necessary number of day-old ducklings for the FAO/UNDP project stations: Chilanga, Mwekera and Chipata. Day-old ducklings were flown weekly to Mwekera and Chipata.

At the end of 1985, two new incubators were provided, with FAO funds, from the TCP/ZAM/4405 project. Two Fisheries Department staff from each farm, Mwekera and Chipata, were trained for one month in December 1985 and January 1986. Subsequently, two new duck hatcheries were started at Mwekera and Chipata. Ducklings are now available in small numbers for fish farmers starting integrated duck and fish farming. A technical pamphlet is in preparation on these subjects ¹.

4.3 PRACTICAL FISH CULTURE TRAINING COURSE

Twenty-six students attended the practical training course at Mwekera farm on 21 February to 6 March 1986.

This course was organized on a trial basis to assess the need and the level of such training for the Government staff at the fish scout level.

It was felt that the present level of training was not suitable to support extension service and that there was an urgent need of intensifying the fish scouts training on fish farming.

4.4 FILMSTRIP ON INTEGRATED FISH FARMING USING DUCKS

The filmstrip is at its final stage. It has been tested twice for the Fisheries Department staff and once for the Department of Agriculture extension service staff.

The filmstrip is generally accepted and will soon be duplicated and printed. It is felt that this filmstrip should be followed by a number of filmstrips covering other aspects of fish farming in Zambia.

¹ Cayron-Thomas, E. Raising Peking Ducks (in preparation).

4.5 THE NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON FISH FARMING EXTENSION

The objective of the workshop was to discuss and review the present status of fish farming development in the country with particular reference to the following points:

1. extension services

2. identifying the constraints and the most appropriate methodology for further development of the industry both in commercial and rural sectors

3. preparing guidelines for the reorganization of the extension activities

4. considering the credit facilities and the related socio-economic aspects

Thirteen fish culturists from the Fisheries Department and representatives of the Department of Agriculture, banking institutions and Village Industry Service attended the workshop. Appendix II shows recommendations made at the end of the workshop.

4.6 FISH SEED DISTRIBUTION AT CHILANGA

The number of fry/fingerlings produced in Chilanga has increased considerably during the 1985/86 breeding season (Table 1). A total of 46 802 fingerlings of O. andersonii were sold to fish farmers around Lusaka (Appendix 3).

5 GENERAL CONCLUSIONS

The Pilot Fish Culture Extension Centre has been built in the Spurwing ponds complex at Chilanga. Audio-visual equipment has been purchased for use in the centre.

A similar centre should be established in each province of the country.

Although the pilot centre has been built, there is still an urgent need to train adequately extension workers to operate such a centre for fish culture extension work.

Note should be taken of the recommendations of the workshop on fish culture extension and strong support should be given to their implementation.

There is still a need for adapting more extension pamphlets to suit the Zambian environment.

As recommended at the workshop, the level of education for extension workers should be at least Form V. For extension-workers below that level, supplementary basic courses (mainly mathematics) should be included in their training programme.

6. RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The workshop, having discussed in detail the training requirements with special reference to fish culture extension needs and having considered proposals made by the Department for the establishment of a national aquaculture centre, strongly recommended that urgent action be taken to implement this programme.

2. Based on the discussion held on the present status of the fish culture extension, and considering the constraints identified by the workshop, it is recommended that an immediate restructuring of the Fish Culture Division should be implemented.

3. In order to develop an effective fish farming extension system in the country, the workshop made the following recommendations:

   1. All government fish farms with extension responsibility should be headed by a qualified aquaculturist.

   2. The aquaculturist should be supported by extension workers (academic qualification should be at least Form V) commensurated to the number of fish farmers and their location.

   3. The necessary supporting services including transport, extension material and literature should be provided to each extension centre.

   4. Suitable action should taken to ensure that separate funds are allocated specifically to fish culture.

   5. Every Department fish farm should develop, on a top priority basis, a fish seed production unit with adequate distribution facilities.

   6. On the basis of information presented by sister departments, it was felt that considerable scope exists for collaboration between the Department of Agriculture and the Fisheries Department in the use of their facilities, especially in the fields of extension training and animal husbandry and action for this should be taken.

4. It was the feeling of the workshop that financial institutions should support the aquaculture development programme with regard to credit. In doing so, the financial institutions should be urged to simplify their lending procedures so that the main thrust of the development programme will be towards the small-scale farmers sector.

In view of the prevailing prohibitive interest rates, it is also recommended that financial institutions such as ZADB ¹ should consider lending at concessionary rates, as much of the programme is still in its implementation stage.

¹ ZADB: Zambia Agriculture Development Bank

Table 1

FRY/FINGERLINGS HARVESTED

Fig 1 Spurwing Ponds

Appendix 1
LIST OF EQUIPMENT PURCHASED BY TCP/ZAM/4519(A)

Non-Expendable Equipment

Bell and Howell sound/slide projector, model RM-850, US$ 1 410

Expendable Equipment

One fry net, 250 feet × 1/4 inch ace mesh

Appendix 2
NATIONAL WORKSHOP ON FISH FARMING EXTENSION

CHILANGA, ZAMBIA, 7–10 APRIL 1986

Makeni

1. PROGRAMME

2. LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

Fisheries Department Staff:

Mr E.D. Muyanga, Director and Chairman of the Workshop

Mr E.D. Boma, Project Co-Manager, FAO Project, Chilanga

Mr C.T. Maguswi, Aquaculturist Biologist, Mwekera and Acting Provincial Fish Culturist, Copperbelt Province

Mr C.D. Sikazwe, Provincial Fish Culturist, Solwezi, North Western Province

Mr B.L. Chakunguka, Fish Culturist, Solwezi, N.W. Province

Mr K.N. Kapanda, Fish Culturist, Western Province

Mr W.R. Wakumelo, Fish Culturist, Luapula Province

Mr J.N. Kaoma, Fish Culturist, Mwinilunga N.W. Province

Mr M.C. Kabunda, Provincial Fish Culturist, Kasama, Northern Province

Mr E.C. Machisa, Fish Culturist, Serenje, Central Province

Mr S.M. Velemu, Fish Culturist, Choma, Southern Province

Mr D.P. Mugala, Assistant Fish Culturist, Chilanga

Mr P.K. Banda, Aquaculturist, Chilanga

Mr J.C. Mutale, Aquaculturist, Chipata

Department of Agriculture

Mrs I.C. Banda, District Agriculture Officer, Kafue office

Mr Chivunda, Senior Extension Training Officer

Rural Information Services, DSC Section

Mr Werner Haas, Communication Management Advisor

Mr Filius Jere, Assistant Producer

Zambia Agriculture Development Bank

Mr G.M. Alonso, Credit Specialist and World Bank Expert

Mr B. Chitambo, Senior Fisheries Officer

Mr K. Mubita, Planning and Development Officer

Village Agricultural Programme, Northern Province

Mr A. Dahlen, Coordinator

Village Industry Service

Mr D.K. Mwansa, Field Officer

FAO Staff

Dr V. Gopalakrishnan, CTA ZAM/79/005, Chilanga

Mr B. De Fooz, Expert ZAM/79/005, Chipata

Ms E. Cayron-Thomas, Expert TCP/ZAM/4519, Chilanga

Special Invitees

Mr N.P. Magande, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Water Development

Mr V.M. Kanondo, Economist, Fisheries Department

Mr L.M. Mwelaisha, Senior Fisheries Training Officer, Fisheries Department

Mr S.A. Mulala, Chief Fisheries Officer, Fisheries Department

Mr W.E. Mambwe, Departmental Development Officer, Fisheries Department

Dr S.P. Subramaniam, Chief Fisheries Research Officer, Fisheries Department

Mr D. Tapiador, Project Coordinator, World Bank Fisheries Project

Mr T. Sandkjer, Attaché/Project Officer, Norad, Lusaka

Mr B. Buch, Programme Officer, FAO, Lusaka

Appendix 3
FISH SEED DISTRIBUTION FROM CHILANGA EXTENSION CENTRE

December 1985 – May 1986: 46 802 fry/fingerlings (1.5 g average weight)

1. DAMS

2. PONDS

3. CONCRETE TANKS