
2 | P a g e

Table of Contents

1. Introduction Pg. 3 2. The aim of this report Pg. 3 3. The suitability of fish farming as a joint venture Pg. 3 4. Choosing a potential site Pg. 5 5. The Practical Assessment Pg. 6 6. The need for a third partner Pg. 6 7. Conclusions Pg. 6

Appendix ‘A’ Pg. 10


3 | P a g e

1. Introduction

This report should be read in conjunction with the document ‘Proposed partnership: Microloan Foundation & DNPW/IFAW Conservation Project’, dated 8 July 2012, which assesses the potential benefits of a partnership, close to the boundary of Liwonde National Park, between these two organizations. There are a number of reasons to believe that fish farming along the boundary fence may be a highly suitable venture, which will combine the addressing of pressing conservation needs with the creation of potential for successful micro-loan and micro-venture businesses. An assessment was done in the last half of September 2012 by Microloan Foundation & the DNPW/IFAW Conservation Project in order to identify a potential site for a fish farm on the boundary of Liwonde National Park. A number of potential sites were considered and the site of Village Headman Chikolongo, TA Kalembo was assessed as being the most suitable.

2. The aim of this Report

This report aims to inform interested parties of a potential fish farming site located in a community living alongside the Park boundary, on the Western bank of the Shire River (see appendix ‘A’).

3. The suitability of fish farming as a joint venture

3.1

a) The villager’s need to access the Shire River in order to draw water and wash clothes undermines the integrity of the Park, increases the likelihood of human/animal conflict, increases the ‘human footprint’ in a wilderness area and spoils the wilderness experience of high end tourists on boat safaris.

Conservation considerations

b) Fish stocks have collapsed in Lake Malawi and that portion of the Shire River running through Liwonde National Park is under enormous


4 | P a g e

pressure from illegally operating fish ‘poachers’. An alternative to fish poaching is urgently needed.

c) The Fish Farm will be stocked with indigenous species from the Shire River.

3.2

a) Increasing human population and the collapse of the fishing industry in Lake Malawi has led to a huge, unfulfilled demand for fish in the country. Fish is currently imported from a number of neighbouring countries and other countries in the SADC region.

Income generating opportunities

b) It is therefore highly likely that demand for fish will outstrip supply for the foreseeable future.

c) Fish farming is therefore a potentially lucrative business. The fact that the tarred road that runs from Mangochi to Zomba and Blantyre is less than 10 kilometres from the site increases the likely commercial success of the Fish Farm.

d) In addition to selling fresh fish, business potential includes providing restaurants in nearby Ulongwe, Mangochi and Liwonde. In addition, curing the fish and selling the cured product in the urban centres is also a possible business venture.

e) The provision of nutrient rich water from the Shire coupled with the possible use of nutrient rich runoff from the Fish Farm, makes irrigation of high priced vegetables, within the fenced area of the Fish Farm, a distinct possibility.

3.3

a) The total fenced area of the Farm will be about 2 ha. One Hectare will be allocated to fish farming, about 0.25 to irrigated vegetables and about 0.75 to natural vegetation. The Fish Farm site should produce quality protein and quality vegetables, throughout the year.

Food Security

b) In addition to providing business opportunities the Fish Farm should, therefore, contribute to providing food security for Chikolongo Village.

3.4

a) The DNPW/IFAW Liwonde Conservation Project will build the necessary infrastructure (pump-house, pipe-line; holding tanks, electrified fence etc) using its construction team. The DNPW/IFAW Liwonde

Partnership value


5 | P a g e

Conservation Project will also maintain these systems. In other words, it will be sticking to its core competencies.

b) Microloan Foundation will be training and developing woman groups in various small business ventures that arise from the Fish Farm and irrigated vegetables. It will therefore also be sticking to its core competencies.

4. Factors considered in choosing a potential site

4.1 The site needs soil rich in clay, so pond doesn't lose retaining strength through seepage; there is a need to avoid sandy soil.

4.2 The site for the fish pond needs to be approximately 1 ha, ideally circular. Additional space for vegetables and natural vegetation is preferred.

4.3 The site should ideally be close to an existing Micro-loan woman’s group.

4.4 The Traditional Authority and people must support the idea.

4.5 The slope from the river to the site should be gentle so as to reduce cost of pumping water from the Shire to the holding tanks.

4.6 The slope from the holding tanks to potential washing or drip irrigation schemes should be slight to allow for gravity feeding of water.

4.7 Ideally it should be immediately adjacent to the fence line. The site must be fenced to prevent predator access and poaching. We need to keep it on the border of the fence line for both security and cost.

4.8 The site should not be further than 2 km from the river to contain establishment, operational and maintenance costs.

4.9 The site should include villagers who currently have to make use of the Shire to draw water from.

4.10 The site should involve villagers who are in dire need of food security and economic enhancement.


6 | P a g e

5. The practical assessment

5.1 Headman Chikolongo offered a site that fulfilled all 10 selection criteria. The site is only 800 metres from the Shire and immediately adjacent to the Park Boundary Fence.

5.2 Headman Chikolongo has approximately 700 people under his authority and reports to T.A. Kalembo through Group Headman Nandumbo.

5.3 Currently, many of his villagers have to draw water from the Shire River, inside Liwonde National Park, and expose themselves to the dangers of elephants, hippopotamus and crocodile (figures 1 & 2.)

5.4 There is extreme, prevailing poverty in the vicinity of the proposed Fish Farm and the idea has been warmly welcomed. An old borehole is wholly unserviceable, apparently due to the high salt content of the water and inadequate maintenance (figure 6).

6. The need for a third partner

A third partner, with the necessary energy and experience in fish farming in Malawi, needs to be identified to provide the necessary technical knowledge to make this venture a success.

7. Conclusions

7.1 There are a number of reasons to believe that fish farming along the boundary fence may be a highly suitable venture, which will combine the addressing of pressing conservation needs with the creation of potential for successful micro-loan and micro-venture businesses.

7.2 The site offered by Headman Chikolongo fulfils all the selection criteria

and seems a sensible pilot area for the idea of a Fish Farm.

7.3 Both Microloan Foundation and the DNPW/IFAW Liwonde Conservation Project will be fulfilling their core competencies in this undertaking. A third partner needs to be identified to provide technical expertise in fish farming.

_______________________


7 | P a g e

Figures 1 – 2: Villagers have to travel 800 metres inside the Park boundary to collect water from the Shire. This is not only detrimental to Park security but places the lives of these villagers to the risk of injury or death from dangerous animals such as elephant, hippopotamus and crocodile.


8 | P a g e

Figure 4: The allocated site is immediately adjacent to the Park Boundary Fence, which is need of repair and maintenance (Fish farm site on left of fence-line, Liwonde National Park starts right of fence-line).

Figure 3: Dick Yotamu standing on the edge of the allocated 1.5 ha site.


9 | P a g e

The prevailing poverty of this area can be seen in the standard of the housing behind this broken down old bore-hole. This is about 600 meters from the fish farm site and falls under the authority of Headman Chikolongo.

Figure 5: Dick Yotamu, Headman Chikolongo and Moses Juma discuss the requirements of the site, which is immediately behind the abandoned house.


10 | P a g e

APPENDIX ‘A’

MAP OF LIWONDE NATIONAL PARK SHOWING ASSESSED FISH FARM SITE IN

RELATION TO CLOSEST WORKING MICRO-LOAN GROUP


11 | P a g e

Closest Microloan Foundation

Woman’s Group

Assessed Potential Fish

Farm Site

A potential fish farming site - MicroLoan Foundation USA

Documents

Transcript of A potential fish farming site - MicroLoan Foundation USA