Resource use efficiency in tilapia production in Central and Southern Malawi

Mussa, H.; Kaunda, Emmanuel; Jere, Wilson; Ng'ong'ola, D.H.

doi:10.1080/13657305.2019.1674426

Cited by 11 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…Feed alone accounts for an average of 55% of the expenses in aquaculture production, making it an important driver of pro ts (Munthali et al, 2022). Along these lines, determinants of Tilapia output in Malawi include ngerling quality, fertilizer use, and farm size (Mussa et al, 2020). Further, the use of high quality inputs needs to be coupled with good farm management practices related to stocking density, water quality, water pH, and temperature (Sharma & Leung, 2008); Moyo & Rapatsa, 2021).…”

Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Productivity and profitability of small-scale aquaculture in Malawi

Munthali¹,

Chilora²,

Wineman

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Small-scale aquaculture in Malawi is thought to contribute to nutrition and food security and serve as an income diversification strategy. Nevertheless, its adoption is low. Drawing on a recent survey of 734 small-scale fish farms across the country, the present study assesses the productivity and profitability of small-scale fish farms, and their determinants using regression analysis. Most fish farms are owned and managed by individual farm-households, though communally owned farms are also present. Small-scale aquaculture is found to be profitable, though the gross margins are slim. Regression results reveal that productivity and profitability are positively affected by the use of farms for both fingerling and grow-out production; the use of high-quality inputs such as commercial feed and inorganic fertilizers; and number of years the farm has existed. These results confirm that small-scale fish farmers in Malawi and other similar settings should adopt improved technologies and practice best on-farm management practices to increase productivity and profitability. This study contributes to the discourse regarding the pathway through which aquaculture in Malawi can achieve its potential to contribute to the country’s development.

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Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Productivity and profitability of small-scale aquaculture in Malawi

Munthali¹,

Chilora²,

Wineman

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fisher allocation of fishing effort and harvesting strategy aims to improve fishing efficiency in achieving the highest yield or operating at maximum fishing capacity [18,19,21,25]. The measurement of the maximum capacity of fishing is dependent on performance benchmarks, where the current effort in fishing can be compared [15,18]. Production frontier estimates compare the relationship between maximum potential outputs from the effort exerted, where the difference is counted as the inefficiency level of the fishery [14][15][16][18][19][20]25,29].…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The measurement of the maximum capacity of fishing is dependent on performance benchmarks, where the current effort in fishing can be compared [15,18]. Production frontier estimates compare the relationship between maximum potential outputs from the effort exerted, where the difference is counted as the inefficiency level of the fishery [14][15][16][18][19][20]25,29]. The observed effort use (input) and output attained are used in estimating a fishery's productive efficiency [14][15][16][20][21][22]47,[49][50][51].…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The observed effort use (input) and output attained are used in estimating a fishery's productive efficiency [14][15][16][20][21][22]47,[49][50][51]. Therefore, productive efficiency provides a comparison between observed and frontier values of its input and output, which gives a picture of how to increase fishing input to attain frontier output [14,[16][17][18]22,25].…”

Section: Theoretical Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Are Chilimira Fishers of Engraulicypris sardella (Günther, 1868) in Lake Malawi Productive? The Case of Nkhotakota District

Simfukwe

Limuwa

Njaya³

2022

Sustainability

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An ecological shift has populated Engraulicypris sardella as a livelihood and economic drive among fishers in Malawi. However, the paucity of biological information regarding E. sardella limits the effective monitoring and sustainable management of the fishery. This has created a heavily invested fishery in terms of the effort put into fishing, but it is poorly managed. Moreover, the current production capacity from the fishery has a negligible impact on lessening the shortfall of the national fish demand, indicating its underperformance. Therefore, the productive efficiency of Lake Malawi Chilimira fishers in exploiting E. sardella was analysed. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to sample 355 Chilimira fishers between July and October 2021. Results from the translog stochastic frontier model revealed that Chilimira fishers had an overall mean technical efficiency of 60% that ranged between 21% and 92%. This indicates that Chilimira fishers are 40% technically inefficient in exploiting E. sardella. The fishing inputs of bunt area, light emitting diode (LED) bulbs, and mesh size significantly contributed to technical efficiency, whereas boat size, fishing depth, number of hauls, and mosquito net lining significantly reduced the technical inefficiency. On average, the Chilimira fishery is operating with increasing returns to scale with bunt area, the quantity of fuel (litres), and the number of LED bulbs having positive input–output elasticity. This means that new developments in the fishery, including LED bulbs, increased bunt area, and boat size, are key factors that will improve fishing efficiency for sustainable fishery exploitation. In contrast, illegal fishing units of small bunt mesh size and mosquito net lining at the bunt threaten the sustainability of the fishery. It is, therefore, important that relevant stakeholders put policy measures in place that promote sustainable fishing effort approaches in exploiting the virgin offshore fishery to maximise catch.

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