Fish seed and feed value chains analysis and their critical factors for aquaculture development in Tanzania

Abstract

Seeds and feeds are among the most important inputs required for sustainable aquaculture industry development in any country worldwide. However, the value chain analysis of seeds and feeds in most developing countries including Tanzania has not been mapped, and the key actors are not identified and characterized. To address this knowledge gap, we mapped the fish seed and feed value chains in Morogoro, Dar es Salaam, Coast and Lindi regions in Tanzania, evaluated their performances, analyzed their contributions to aquaculture growth and finally assessed the critical factors impending aquaculture development before proposing appropriate strategies for upgrading. We found that the fish seed value chain comprised broodstock suppliers, seed producers, seed marketers, traders and fish farmers. Tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) and African sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) seeds produced were primarily sold to farmers at an advanced fry stage (1 to 5 g) at a price ranging from USD 0.09 to 0.13 and USD 0.22 to 0.27, respectively. The feed value chain consisted of suppliers, producers, importers, traders and fish farmers. The feeds produced were powdered, compressed and extruded pellets and granules sold at an average price of USD 2.50/kg. The seed and feed value chains in the four regions drive the aquaculture development and employ 137 and 109 people, respectively. The fish farming was mainly affected by insufficient seeds and feeds; inadequate extension services, inadequate technical skills in seed and feed production; limited farming equipment; insufficient capital and limited access to market. We propose increasing seed and feed production through collaborative research between researchers and the private sector, enhancing delivery of extension services to all fish farmers, providing fiscal incentives to hatchery and feed investors, organizing hatchery owners into associations, and undertaking marketing awareness campaign for aquaculture growth in the country for food, income and employment generation.

The contribution of milkfish (Chanos chanos) pond farming to socio-economics and coastal community livelihoods for a sustainable blue economy

“…The selling of milk sh through middlemen and to hotels and restaurants indicates existence of various value chains in the business (Roxas et al 2017). Similar ndings were reported recently by Nile tilapia farmers who sold their sh directly to individual consumers or indirectly through traders (Shoko et al 2023).…”

“…Furthermore, low education level affects milk sh farmers' productivity due to low ability to adopt better production technologies (Lu et al 2022) and take advantage of extension services (Islam et al 2023). Similarly, inadequate education was reported as one the critical factors affecting Nile tilapia aquaculture development in Tanzania (Shoko et al 2023). Therefore, the existence of most sh farmers with no formal education and primary level is re ected in the average production of 307 kg/m 2 per area per production cycle.…”

“…The study was executed based on the Tanzanian laws and guidelines for human experiments. Accordingly, all participants were requested to express their willingness to participate voluntarily in the study before administering the questionnaires (Shoko et al 2023). Participants were assured of anonymity and con dentiality for the purposes of the study only including publication of the results.…”