A major concern of the FISHIN' Project is to organise and streamline the collection of information and statistics on Uganda's fisheries. This is with the aim of facilitating access to accurate, systematic and up-to-date information essential for planning, development and management of the industry. The fish markets study described in this report was undertaken by the Socio-economic (SEC) team of the Project as part of the work programme to provide information on the post-harvest sector and to complement data being compiled by the Bio-statistical team.
The importance of compiling reliable marketing statistics for the Ugandan fisheries has long been recognised (Graham 1929; Sastry 1957). Crutchfield conducted the first full-scale study of the country's fish trade during the late 1950s (Crutchfield 1959), although some aspects of the trade on Lake Victoria had been investigated somewhat earlier (Ford 1955). Other studies or reviews of fish marketing questions have been carried out since (e.g. Garrod 1961; Rhodes 1963; Nyholm and Whiting 1975; Nyakaana 1984; Balarin 1985), including one by the Tropical Development and Research Institute (TDRI 1983) and another by a team of Chinese experts in 1986 (MAIF 1988). These studies together with other literature on fish marketing, papers presented in symposia and workshops, and Uganda Fisheries Department (UFD) and FISHIN Project reports were used as reference material in the process of preparing the 1990 Markets Survey and the analysis and write-up of results.
2. ORGANISATION AND CONDUCT OF THE SURVEY
The survey was designed to cover all the markets in the borderline counties of all Fisheries Regions covering Lakes Victoria, Edward and George. These regions include Entebbe, Jinja, Tororo, Masaka, and Kalangala for Lake Victoria, and Kichwamba for Lakes Edward and George. A map (Fig. 1) showing the survey areas is presented in Appendix 1, together with a list (Table 1) of all the markets enumerated, broken down by Region, District, County (Saza), and Sub-County (Gombolola).
Originally the timeframe for the whole exercise was set from May to August 1990. Assembly of background material and preparation and pre-testing of the questionnaire took place during May to early July, and enumerator training and data collection activities commenced thereafter. Logistical problems delayed completion of the survey programme in the Kichwamba Region until the end of the first week in September. Kalangala Region, comprising the Ssese Islands, necessitated special transport arrangements by boat. Survey work in this region was therefore undertaken somewhat later. A rundown of the survey programme is provided in Appendix 2A.
The questionnaire was designed for basically two methods of data collection -- viz., direct observation and interviewing. For the interviews, potential informants included Market Masters, fish dealers, UFD staff, and consumers living around the markets. The questionnaire was drafted to elicit information on the following topics:-
Nature of the market and its operations.
Fisheries extension service in the markets.
Fishing operators, processors and traders.
Other occupations practised by fish traders.
Organisation of fish dealers.
Supply volumes, routes, and distribution channels.
Infrastructure in and around the markets.
Prices of fish and other competing products.
Gender participation.
The questionnaire was pre-tested at Nakivubo, and Kibuye markets in Kampala District, Kasenyi Landing (an assembly market) in Mpigi District, and Kayunga Market and Katosi Landing (another assembly market) in Mukono District. Practice enumeration was carried out by four UFD staff stationed in the above places, with close supervision of two Project economists. Pre-testing took two days, and resulted in some shortening of the questionnaire, recasting of certain questons for clarification, and minor modifications of the format.
Enumerators were selected from UFD field staff posted at landings and markets throughout the survey area. A total of five enumerators were selected from each of the six regions. These were supervised by the two fisheries economists from the Socio-economic team of the project. In total 30 enumerators were used for the study. A list of all survey participants is given in Appendix 2B.
Regional seminars were conducted by the national Project economists in order to train enumerators and the senior staff who were to assist in supervision of fieldwork. At these training sessions the relevance of socio-economic studies in the context of fisheries was first discussed. This was followed by a review of the purpose of the markets survey, and then of the survey instrument -- the questionnaire. An Enumerator's Manual with detailed recording guidelines was used in the training, with a copy being made available to each participant for further reference while in the field. Regional seminars were considered a better alternative to a national workshop due to funding limitations and because there would be no lapse between enumerator training and the commencement of fieldwork.
Copies of the Enumerator's Manual and the final version of the survey questionnaire are provided in Appendix 2C and 2D respectively.
Insofar as possible, background information about local markets was collected from the district market offices with the help of UFD field staff. An effort was also made to inform District Administrators and other local authorities about the survey. Further publicity was handled through the Resistance Councils, UFD staff, and radio announcements.
At the end of each regional training seminar enumerators were given necessary field materials, including the questionnaire forms and letters of introduction to relevant authorities. Each enumerator was charged with a specified area, either a county or sub-county, and prepared a work programme in consultation with the survey supervisors. Areas where logistical difficulties could be expected were identified with the help of the regional UFD officers and arrangements were made to provide special transport where necessary. Enumerators were advised to travel with their Project bicycles because of the transport irregularities prevailing in most areas.
Upon arrival in their assigned operational areas enumerators reported to the local Resistance Council officials and Saza and Gombolola chiefs for introduction and assistance. Such local authorities were used as contacts for both the enumerators and supervisors in case of any changes in work schedule. In order to ensure effective work performance, the supervisors monitored the survey through unannounced visits to interview sites, referring to their copies of the work schedules to know when particular markets were to be covered by particular enumerators.
For all regions the completed forms were collected on the last day of the survey programme.
Fieldwork experiences within each of the regions are briefly described below.
2.4.1 Entebbe Region (L. Victoria)
The Entebbe (Lake Victoria East) Fisheries Region is one of the largest of all those covered by the survey. It comprises four districts -- Kampala, Mpigi, Luwero, and Mukono. Kampala is an urban district and has some 50 markets. The other districts are mostly rural farming areas, though they boast some smaller towns as well.
Kampala District was adequately covered by two enumerators who were quite familiar with the area, being part of the local UFD marketing staff. Unfamiliarity with marketing activity proved something of a problem in the other districts because many of the enumerators were essentially landing site staff. Kampala markets visited by the team in the course of supervision were Katwe, Nakivubo, Wandegeya, Kawempe, Nalukolongo, Natete, Ndeeba, Kibuye, Namasuba, Nakawa, Bbiina, Kitintale, and Luzira.
Mpigi district was at first not properly covered by the enumerator due to language problems, unfamiliarity with the area, and failure to co-ordinate with survey supervisors. The exercise was redone at a later date with the help of the two enumerators from Kampala district. Markets and landings visited by the supervisors were Kasenyi, Kitala, Kawuku, Abaita Ababiri, Entebbe Central, Lunnyo, Nakiwogo, and Mpigi town Central market.
Luwero District was only partly covered by the enumerator because most of this area receives supplies from Lake Kyoga. The furthest point reached by traders from Lake Victoria is Nalongo, about 8 kms north-west of Luwero Town, itself roughly 72 kms from Kampala. The supervisory team only visited the Luwero Town market and the District Markets Office.
Mukono is a very large district and a few of the most remote markets had to be left out of the survey by the enumerator assigned there. Survey supervisors were able to visit markets at Kyetume, Kayunga, Nkokonjeru, Kitimbwa and Kyerima.
Whereas Kampala District has relatively good roads and public transport services, such was not the case in Mukono, Mpigi, and Luwero Districts. For these latter, the majority of markets lie deep in the rural areas and are not linked by public motor transport. Enumerators depended heavily on their bicycles for mobility, and in some areas became passengers on hire bicycles when they were unsure of their directions.
All markets within Kampala and all the town markets in the other districts were found to open daily, whereas the rural markets operated fortnightly.
2.4.2 Tororo Region (L. Victoria)
The Tororo Fisheries Region coincides with Tororo District and the survey covered only those counties near Lake Victoria. These included Tororo, West-Budama, Samia-Bugwe, and Bunyole Counties.
In Bunyole County markets visited in the course of supervision work were Busolwe, Busaba, and Gayaza. There was remarkably little fish in the markets yet people showed a willingness to buy if the supply could only be increased. Most of the fish being offered for sale were in cured form -- smoked tilapia and Nile perch and sundried Rastrineobola. There was no sign of fresh fish in the markets visited by the supervisors, though some supply comes through by train from Jinja for the evening market in Busolwe. Markets in Bunyole displayed an array of agricultural products such as yams, bananas, sugar-canes, beans and tomatoes, all noticeably lacking in the markets of Samia-Bugwe and West-Budama counties and the rural markets of Tororo county.
In West-Budama County market places visited by supervisory team were Omunyole, Ndaiga, Asopotoit, Busitema, Tiira, Aninda, Nagongera, Nabuyonga, Rubongi, Mulanda and Iyolwa. There was little fish in the markets and most of what was available appeared to be of immature size. For markets near the main road from Jinja and those near Tororo Town, such as those in Rubongi Sub-county, some fresh Nile perch and tilapia were in evidence.
In Samia-Bugwe the supervisors visited markets at Lumino, Majanji, Masaba, Masafu, Busonga, Butangisi, Dabani Ginnery and Busia. Since these areas are near Lake Victoria more fresh fish is available than for markets in the other counties. Still there is a problem of immature fish, with the traders claiming that supplies were coming from Iyingo in Iganga District. At the time of survey the well-known Busia Market on the Uganda-Kenya border was not operating at full capacity because of a wrangle between the fishmongers, UFD staff, Customs officials, and the District Administration as to how to handle fish exports.
The main transport used by enumerators was bicycle since public motor vehicles were scarce and very irregular. Also there were plenty of Tororo District's famous “boda-boda” bicycles for hire. Except in the larger trading centres and towns, markets operated on a weekly basis and stayed open during the morning hours, with activity peaking around noon. The main reason for early closure was said to be the insecurity prevailing in many parts of the district.
2.4.3 Jinja Region (L. Victoria)
Jinja Region consists of the three districts of Kamuli, Iganga, and Jinja. The counties covered during the survey were Buzaaya in Kamuli District, Kigulu, Bugweri, Bunya and Bukooli in Iganga District, and Butembe and Kagoma in Jinja District. The survey started with the usual seminar and briefing to the enumerators at the Regional Fisheries Office followed by the visit to the district offices of Jinja and Iganga the next day.
Whereas town and main road markets are served with regular transport, for remote markets enumerators had to rely on hired bicycles -- the major means of transport in the rural areas. The enumerators were assisted with Project transport for the most difficult places, and in some extreme cases such as Bwondha the supervisors undertook the interviewing themselves.
Markets visited in the course of supervising included Isimba in Kisozi Sub-county, Kamuli district. The River Nile is only one kilometre from this market and fresh tilapia, Clarias, and Protopterus were available. Another market visited in this area was Mutumu, which is connected by a daily bus to Jinja Town. Fish is scarce despite the availability of this transport. The supervisory team also passed through markets at Mbulamuti and Kiyunga. At the latter market fishmongers were selling both fresh and smoked products from Kyankole, near Bukungu Landing on Lake Kyoga.
Bwondha Landing in Iganga district is in a forest reserve area and the team was warned of incidences of insecurity on the road leading in, caused by encroachers who had been ordered to quit the reserve by the Forestry Department. Other Iganga District markets observed by the team were Bugoto, Bukoona, Nawansega, and Busembatia.
Jinja District markets visited by the supervisors included Nabitambala, Namagangu, Kabembe, Iziru and Butamira. Jinja is a more populated district so there is less small-scale farming activities as compared to Iganga and Kamuli. At the same time there are several large sugarcane plantations in Jinja District that provide employment to a substantial work force. Because of the relatively higher incomes of its inhabitants, its nearness to Lake Victoria, and the existence of fairly good roads and public transport connections, Jinja District receives a larger and a more evenly distributed supply of fish than the rural districts of Kamuli and Iganga.
Whereas Tororo District markets are principally morning affairs, those in Kamuli, Iganga and Jinja Districts operate in the afternoons.
2.4.4 Masaka Region (L. Victoria)
Masaka Fisheries Region is made up of Masaka and Rakai Districts together with some counties of Mpigi District. The latter cover the area from Lwera swamps to Katebo Landing, about 11 kms from Buwama Trading Centre on the main Masaka Road, some 65 kms from Kampala.
Rakai District boasts of three counties, Kabula, Kyotera and Kakuto. Only Kyotera and Kakuto were included in the survey area. Kakuto county is a thinly populated more pastoral area as compared to Kyotera, which is agriculturally quite rich. But the development of both of these counties has been greatly deterred by the scourge of the AIDS disease. Almost every household has been affected. To add to the misfortune is a plague of banana weevils. These pests have grown resistant to the chemicals that are sprayed to suppress them, so that people have had to uproot their banana (matooke) plantations and replant with fresh stock.
The supervisory team visited Mutukula, on the border with Tanzania, where it was found that the supply of fish is scanty and in great demand. Aside from dried Haplochromis from the Kooki Lakes, the only fish seen were small fresh tilapia from Lukaya on the Kampala-Masaka Road. Kasensero lies north and west of Mutukula, directly on the Lake. It was surveyed by the supervisors themselves to avoid wasting the enumerator's time seeking passage along the access road. This road is even worse than that of Bwondha in Iganga District, and explains why much of the Kasensero catch is marketed smoked.
In Kyotera County all the markets visited were in Nabuyonga Sub-county, including those of Kalisizo and Kyotera towns, Nakatogo, and Ddimu and Malembo landings. This is an important farming area for coffee and bananas. Lorries and pick-ups full of matooke can be seen going towards Masaka and Kampala. The roads are reasonably good and even the village roads are well maintained. Most neighbourhoods are served by a nearby market and the team had the impression that reasonable amounts of fish including fresh Nile perch were usually available, in contrast to the situation in Kakuto County. At Ddimu and Malembo large quantities of dried Rastrineobola or mukene are landed from Tanzania.
Masaka District counties included in the survey area were Bukoto, Kalungu and Bukomansimbi. In Bukomansimbi the headquarters of Kitanda and Butenga Sub-counties were visited along with Kagologolo and Lubanda markets. The team also passed through Nnende Market in Kalungu County. Fish in all forms was seen to be in plentiful supply at all these sites.
Lukaya Market and the nearby landings and markets of Lwera Swamp were also seen in the course of Masaka Region exercise. There is a reasonable catch of tilapia species and Bagrus and Clarias are also to be found.
Many of the markets in Bukoto County are well laid out with temporary structures. Those toured by the team included Kirinya, Kyanjale, Kiwangala and Bukoto. Kiwangala Market is one of the biggest in Masaka District. It contains more than 100 fish stalls and serves as a distribution centre for markets in Bukoto and Kyotera Counties as well as other areas. Masaka Town is found in Bukoto county and the Central Market is enclosed and of permanent construction. Nyendo Market on the outskirts of Masaka is made up of temporary structures but is quite clean and spacious, having just been shifted to its present site from its old and congested location on the Bukakata road.
In Lwengo Sub-county lies on the border with Mbarara District and is a mixed farming and livestock area. Markets visited were Nanywa, Kyakwerebera and Kyoko. People in Lwengo complained of the general scarcity of fish. The transport problem is similar to that observed in Kakuto County of Rakai District, except for those trading centres on the Mbarara Road. During the time of the survey a livestock quarantine was in effect, making the shortage of animal protein all the more serious.
Markets in Masaka and Rakai Districts are mostly held on a fortnightly schedule. Transport was better in Masaka than in Rakai District though still the enumerators had to rely heavily on their bicycles as most market sites are in the interior, well away from the main roads where public transport services can be found. The roads were better maintained in Masaka District and Kyotera County of Rakai District probably because of the trade in matooke. Lorries and pick-ups must penetrate deep into interior areas in search for this food for the Kampala and Masaka town markets. The reasonably good murram roads greatly facilitate the distribution of fish to remote markets, especially during the dry season.
2.4.5 Kalangala Region (L. Victoria)
Kalangala Fisheries Region is comprised of the Ssese Islands. The islands are scattered over a huge expanse of the northwestern quadrant of Lake Victoria, and special arrangements were necessary to cover them in the survey. The main landing sites serve as assembly markets for fish destined either for Masaka via Bukakata, or for Kasenyi Landing close to Entebbe. The survey had to be done using a boat to move from site to site, and it was decided that it would be better for one team of two enumerators to cover as many sites as possible in one grand circuit rather than to try fielding a number of enumerators in various directions. Delays were encountered while a boat, engine, and sufficient fuel and kit were organised for this mission. After the training seminar at regional headquarters in Kalangala Town on the main island of Bugala, the team worked as a whole to survey nearby landing site markets. The enumerators then journeyed to outlying islands to complete the survey work on their own. As in the case of the other regions, the completed questionnaires were carefully reviewed to make sure that all target sites had been adequately covered.
2.4.6 Kichwamba Region (Lakes Edward and George)
The Kichwamba Fisheries Region counties included in the survey were Bukonjo and Busongora in Kasese District, Bunyaruguru in Bushenyi District, Kibaale in Kabarole District, and Rujumbura and Kinkizi (northern part) in Rukungiri District.
Places reached in the course of supervision in Rukungiri were Kihihi, Kambuga, Katete and Rukungiri Town itself. The steep topography of the district made it difficult for the enumerators to move around on their bicycles, and public transport was not always easy to find.
Kibaale County is supplied to some extent from the landings of Mayhoro and Kayinja through Kamwenge but the area seems to have a very low consumption rate of fish. There seem to be three main reasons for this pattern, namely: the indigenous people of the area are traditionally not fish eaters; wide portions of the County remain very inaccessible; and there is an abundant supply of various food crops.
Markets in Bunyaruguru were amongst the most accessible in all of Kichwamba Region because many are located along or within a short distance of the main Mbarara - Kasese Road and because public means are readily available. Fish are widely appreciated by the local population and are supplied to the markets in considerable quantity. Many of the villages along the road in Ryeru Sub-county have tap water fed by gravity from the hills. Markets observed in this Sub-county were Ndekye, Rutoto, Bururuma, and Nyakasharu. Being on the main Mbarara - Kasese Road, they all operate daily.
In Kasese District the team paid a call at the Busongora County Headquarters at Rukoki before touring the Kasese Market, a daily operation with an abundance of smoked and fresh fish from the landings of Lake George and the Kasinga Channel. The team also reached Muhokya Sub-county Headquarters and the markets of Kyarumba, Kasindi and Kinyamaseke.
Whereas markets in other districts included in the survey are directly run by the local administrations, those in Kasese and Kabarole districts are tendered to individuals who do all the management and maintenance and then pay taxes to the local government. This arrangement was made in response to dwindling revenues from the markets when they were being managed directly by the district administrations.
In general supervision in Kichwamba proved to be more difficult than in any other regions. This was more so in the counties of Kibaale, Rujumbura and North Kinkizi. Roads were bad, distances long, and public transport often difficult to find, meaning that little time could be spent actually working with the enumerators.
On the whole, the survey was successfully executed. There were a few problems, however. In the rural areas where the roads were impassable and markets far apart transport was a major hindrance to data collection. In cases such as Rakai District where weekly or fortnightly markets are held in isolated places with few homesteads in the vacinity, it proved difficult to conduct follow-up visits when further clarification was sought about certain questions. Lack of funds to meet unexpected expenses incurred in the field was another problem. There were also too few enumerators available to handle the ambitious amount of work assigned for the SEC team to complete within a very limited period of time.
Another limitation was that the majority of enumerators were essentially landing site staff without much background in market operations. This circumstance had to be carefully accomodated in the training and supervision activities. There were language barriers in a few cases despite the effort to use enumerators fluent in the indigenous language of the survey localities. Kalangala posed a unique problem as it had to be covered from the water. Survey preparation and implementation therefore took far longer than for the other regions.
In some areas whole districts were surveyed whereas in others only certain counties or sub-counties near the lakes were considered. These limitations were imposed by budgetary and time constraints.
The successful execution of the market survey owes largely to the excellent co-operation and assistance received from local authorities, and the patience and willingness shown by respondents during the interview sessions. The survey managed to cover about 96% of all the target markets in the six Project regions. Major markets left out were in Rukungiri, Kalangala, and Luwero Districts, due mainly to poor roads and transport problems.
2.7 Processing and Analysis of Data
Processing and analysis of survey data is being carried out by the Project SEC team using Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet software. This work has taken much longer than the team would have wanted because of a lack of computer units at Project Headquarters and a limited number of trained staff for data entry and processing. Also in retrospect it would probably have been wiser to use a dBase-type programme for data entry and a statistical package for the analysis, given the great mass of data that had been accumulated. Computation and extraction of findings from extremely large spreadsheet files has proved rather slow.
A few results of data analysis carried out thus far are presented in the following sections. They relate to such questions as the numbers and types of markets surveyed, fisheries extension staff disposition, market activity levels, number and type of traders and processors, trade organisations, and market infrastructures. Fuller analysis of the 1990 FISHIN' Project Markets Survey will be reported in other papers in the FISHIN' Project publication series.
The study covered markets and landings identified as markets by the local authorities. In total 495 markets were surveyed of which 53 were landing markets (Tables 1 and 2). Many sites serve as assembly markets, in the sense that function as bulking and distribution centres. As shown in Table 1, a total of 101 assembly markets were identified.
Luwero District is largely a Lake Kyoga marketing ares. Survey activity was therefore restricted to those Luwero markets near Kampala District that receive fresh fish supplies from Lake Victoria.
3.2 Fisheries Extension in the Markets
UFD staff in the markets are responsible for the collection of data, as well as for advising and supervising matters of fish handling, quality control, and hygiene. The study showed that in the Project regions only 31 out of 160 UFD field personnel are exclusively fish market staff. Out of the 495 markets it was found that 23% get regular visits and 19% occasional visits by fisheries extension workers. Fully 58% are not visited at all (Table 3).
Extension work tends to be concentrated on a few major markets in each district/region. For example, in Kampala District the wholesale markets of Katwe, Kibuye, Nakivubo, Kalerwe, and Nakawa receive regular attention whereas the retail markets are visited only occasionally. In general, the landing sites are well-staffed whereas the markets per se showed signs of neglect except in a few areas like Kampala and Tororo Districts. Shortage of market staff, and lack of transport and sufficient allowances discourage adequate coverage of markets in all the regions, resulting in deficient market statistics and collateral information.
3.3 Market Operations and Administration
Market timetables are set by the district authorities. Urban and rural roadside markets on highways are open daily with a few closing on Sundays, but the majority of rural markets operate either weekly or fortnightly. In Tororo and Iganga Districts rural markets tend to operate weekly on specified days whereas in Masaka District the majority of markets operate fortnightly (Table 4).
The markets are either directly or indirectly administered by the district authorities. Direct administration is done in all the districts except in Kabarole, Kasese and in a few markets of Masaka District. This kind of administration is through Market Masters appointed by the district authorities. Their responsibilities include collection of market dues from the traders and day-to-day administrative duties.
Indirect administration is carried out through the award of market tenders to individuals or companies for a fixed renewable period of from three to six months. The contractor is bound to use official District Administration receipts, is subject to auditing by the District Administration, and must remit an agreed percentage of the total revenue to the District Treasury. Indirect administration developed in Kabarole and Kasese districts in an effort to curb mismanagement and misappropriation of funds by revenue collectors. In Masaka, some markets are situated on private land as opposed to the general rule of using public land, and in such cases indirect administration is applied.
A Market Activity Index was calculated to identify the most active market in each district. The computation of the activity index was based on the number of fish traders in the market and the regularity of operation (No. Traders x Market Days/Week). Not surprisingly, those markets with a reputation of being most important in each district proved to have the highest Market Activity Index (Table 5). But the measure does provide a reliable basis for prioritising development of fish markets in each district.
For the 53 landing markets a total of 4511 fishing operators (76.7% crew and 23.3% boat-owners) were counted. Crewing was found to be solely a male occupation in all the regions, and of the boat owners only about 7% are women. Results also showed that 3% of fishing operators also engaged in work as fish traders. Of this group 17% are women (Table 6).
Though not involved as crew some women fish in the swamps using basket traps. This practice was recorded in 116 cases in Iganga District and 85 cases in Masaka District. Such fishing is an occasional undertaking done mostly at the end of the rainy season for home consumption. Any surplus is sold for the acquisition of household items such as salt, paraffin and soap.
3.6 Fish Traders and Processors
The total number of people involved in fish trading and/or processing within the Project regions was found to be 11,216, of whom some 77% are male and 23% female (Table 7). Of the 10,035 individuals operating exclusively as traders 78% were male and 22% female. Fish wholesalers account for about 17% and fish retailers about 83% of all traders.
The study identified 1181 processors, 68% male and 32% female. From field observations it is known that relatively little processing is done in the markets. Most of the processed fish brought in from the islands and remote landings. Therefore, the number of fish processors in the fishing industry is far higher than that indicated by the study results.
Undoubtedly there has been an increase in female participation in the fishing industry over the last several decades, mainly in the post-harvest sector. This is attributed to recent periods of civil strife which thrust many women into the role of family providers and household heads, on top of their traditional role as food crop producers. But women's involvement in the fish trade is still limited to a retail level, mainly in processed products and mainly because of lack of capital. It was also discovered in the course of field observation that many women in the fish business were depending on small amounts of credit from men either in cash or kind. In general, the level of education among the women fisherfolk is low. This coupled with the lack of collateral restricts their advancement and use of the available limited credit facilities.
3.7 Fishery Cooperatives and Organisations
Out of 495 markets only in 8% of the cases was it found that any fish traders belonged to fishery co-operative societies or organisations (Table 8). A total of 43 fisherfolk organisations were recorded with a membership of 1638. Some 16% of the membership of these organisations was made up of fish traders ( 14% male and 2% female).
Many of the existing societies were basically fishers organisations which permitted membership of fish traders. Due to the history of neglect of fishmongers associations by the authorities, fish traders did not show much enthusiasm in joining or forming fishmongers associations. Unlike fish traders the fishers' societies have benefited from a number of developmental programmes.
In the field visits it was found that fish traders are not necessarily reluctant to participate in co-operatives per se. In Masaka district many fish traders belonged to farmers co-operative societies and in Kampala district the traders belonged to market vendors' associations.
There is also a record of successful fish traders' associations around Lakes Edward and George, which were active until the civil disruptions of the 1980s. These associations were involved in the supply of fresh and smoked fish to the wholesale markets of Kampala District and were the major suppliers of smoked tilapia for the Kenyan market.
Market facilities are integral to the task of improving and maintaining proper hygienic standards of food handling and processing. In the survey, they served as an indicator of the working conditions and environment of the fish trader.
Facilities considered directly essential to the fish handler included off-loading docks, cleaning and selling stalls or tables, stores, and kilns. Others considered very important in maintaining hygienic standards included clean and abundant water, permanent shelters with cemented floors, and sanitary facilities. Electricity and telephones were considered desirable amenities.
Survey results show that the majority of markets are rather poorly endowed with basic infrastructure and services for food handling purposes. About 35% function with temporary shelters, and only about 9% with permanent shelters. Most, some 56%, are simply open ground affairs. The full breakdown of facility availability is provided in Table 9. Basically the picture is one of deficiency and neglect on the part of the authorities who collect revenue and are responsible for market maintenance and improvement. The lack of proper fish handling facilities and other services in the markets also emphasises the need for UFD extension workers to become more seriously involved in their work.
Improvement and development of the national fisheries post-harvest sector can only be achieved through proper planning, investment, and management. Yet this in turn cannot be achieved without sound knowledge of the sector and a reliable base of statistical data. Marketing studies done in the past have been valuable but obviously are dated in terms of present-day information needs. The 1990 Fish Markets Survey reported upon here has been an attempt to help cater for these needs.
The survey covered the marketing areas bordering Lakes Victoria, George, and Edward -- areas which collectively make up the six fisheries regions with which the FISHIN' Project has been primarily concerned. Survey preparations took place from May to July 1990, and implementation from July to September 1990, except in the case of the Ssese Islands which had to be covered separately a little later on.
Training seminars for enumerators were successively convened at all six Regional Fisheries Offices, and participants were briefed about the purpose and mechanics of the exercise. Interviews based on a pre-tested questionnaire took place on a market-by-market basis according to a schedule worked out during the training seminar. The SEC team of supervisors constantly monitored the interviews to ensure quality and consistency in data collection. Compilation and analysis of results is now in progress but a few preliminary findings are already noted in this report. The following points are particularly noteworthy:
backstopping support being provided by UFD extension staff at markets is quite deficient;
participation by women as fishing operators, traders, and processors is very low;
trade organisations and co-operatives are not well developed for the fisheries post-harvest sector; and
market facilities and services are generally of a very poor order, showing serious shortcomings on the part of the authorities who collect revenue and are responsible for market upkeep and development.
Planning for future market survey exercises should perhaps take into account the following lessons learned from the 1990 FISHIN Project undertaking.
4.2.1 Co-operation and co-ordination
Much depends on the careful organisation of fieldwork. Good working relationships are essential to cultivate between survey principals and local fishery staff who serve as enumerators and assistant supervisors. Local authorities must be kept fully in the picture in order to secure their co-operation and support. Effective quality control in data collection can only be achieved if survey principals actually venture into the field to monitor the situation for themselves, rather than depend on “remote control” enumerators. The close co-ordination that existed between the supervisors and the enumerators in the present survey enabled many problems to be solved the spot, allowing work to go ahead smoothly and minimising the necessity for follow-up visits.
Provision of appropriate transport arrangements for enumerators avoids delays in survey execution and helps to ensure quality performance in data collection. The FISHIN' Project has provided bicycles to many of the UFD field staff working in the target regions and the 1990 Survey enumerators made good use of theirs in going about the interview work. But cases arose where motor vehicles should have been pressed into temporary use, considering the distances and difficult terrain that had to be traversed. Project vehicles were available to some extent to help out, but more should have been done to expedite enumerator travel in rough and remote country. Greater use of motorcycles might be a partial solution in any similar exercise.
The planning of interview visits should take into account the operating days of particular markets so as to avoid cases where the survey team arrives only to find an empty site. This can be irritating especially when markets are remote and hard to reach. It is of course impossible in any event to obtain a full picture of market activity when nothing is happening.
The provision of additional funds to meet unexpected expenses and to give flexibility in catering for the needs of enumerators, ambitious terms of reference, and large survey areas should be anticipated. Socio-economic investigations are sometimes mistakenly regarded as adjuncts to the catch/effort data collection exercises that preoccupy traditional fishery statistics work. Socio-economics and Bio-statistics properly understood are equally important components in the process of fisheries information management, and this should be borne in mind when it comes to the allocation of fieldwork support.
The UFD should give very serious attention to the need for posting more staff on market duty in order that the crucially important post-harvest dimension may receive the same emphasis as that given to activities at the production level. Not only would this result in an improvement in the routine collection of marketing data, but it would also make time-to-time surveys of the markets far easier to organise.
The advantages and disadvantages of software packages should be carefully weighed when planning for the computer processing of survey data. Where a survey has produced sizeable data banks and analysis ideally requires much cross-correlation and other manipulation, the use of spreadsheet packages may not be the best answer.
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