Strengthening Fisheries Management in ACP Countries

111 Pages·2013·2.22 MB·English

"Strengthening Fisheries Management in ACP
Countries"

Final Technical Report

A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY

Project ref. N° WA-1.2-B1

Region: Sierra Leone

Date 18 February 2013

Assignment by: COFREPECHE

.
This publication has been produced with the assistance of the European Union.
Project Funded by the European Union.
The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of COFREPECHE and

can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.

The content of this document does not necessarily reflect the views of the concerned governments.
A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY, SIERRA LEONE
Final Technical Report (SLE107R04A)

1 Contents
1 Contents ...................................................................................................................................................... 2
2 List of tables ............................................................................................................................................... 4
3 List of figures ............................................................................................................................................. 5
4 List of pictures ........................................................................................................................................... 5
5 Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................................... 6
6 Abbreviations and acronyms .................................................................................................................... 7
7 Units: measurements ................................................................................................................................. 8
8 Currencies: exchange rates ...................................................................................................................... 8
9 Executive summary.................................................................................................................................... 9
10 Background ...........................................................................................................................................11
11 Approach to the assignment ................................................................................................................12
12 Comments on terms of references ......................................................................................................12
13 Organisation and methodology ...........................................................................................................12
13.1 Delivery of terms of reference ................................................................................................................................................ 12
13.2 Conduct and details of the assignment ................................................................................................................................ 13
13.2.1 Information provided ........................................................................................................................................................ 14
13.2.2 Stakeholders consultation................................................................................................................................................ 14
13.2.3 Rapid Assessment during field missions ......................................................................................................................... 14
13.2.4 Base line report................................................................................................................................................................ 15
13.2.5 Final stakeholders workshop ........................................................................................................................................... 15
13.2.6 Visibility activities ............................................................................................................................................................. 15
14 Conclusions and recommendations ....................................................................................................15
14.1 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................................. 15
14.1.1 Present status of the aquaculture sector ......................................................................................................................... 15
14.1.2 Did aquaculture development fail? .................................................................................................................................. 16
14.1.3 Low input low output systems .......................................................................................................................................... 16
14.1.4 Dam ponds ...................................................................................................................................................................... 16
14.1.5 Rice-cum-fish farming ...................................................................................................................................................... 16
14.1.6 Semi-intensive farming of tilapia and African catfish for local markets ............................................................................ 16
14.1.7 Intensive tilapia farming for export ................................................................................................................................... 17
14.1.8 Capacity building ............................................................................................................................................................. 17
14.1.9 Oyster culture .................................................................................................................................................................. 17
14.1.10 Culture based fisheries .................................................................................................................................................... 17
14.1.11 Access to land ................................................................................................................................................................. 17
14.2 Recommendations .................................................................................................................................................................. 18
14.2.1 Low input low output systems .......................................................................................................................................... 18
14.2.2 Commercial aquaculture .................................................................................................................................................. 18
14.2.3 Capacity building ............................................................................................................................................................. 18
14.2.4 Intensive tilapia farming for export ................................................................................................................................... 19
14.2.5 Culture based fisheries .................................................................................................................................................... 19
14.2.6 Access to land ................................................................................................................................................................. 19
15 Annex A: terms of reference of the project as formulated by ACP FISHII........................................20
16 Annex B: detailed timetable of the project ..........................................................................................27
17 Annex C: persons met during the mission .........................................................................................29
18 Annex D: the comprehensive aquaculture base line .........................................................................31
19 Annex E: investment cost dam pond ..................................................................................................88
20 Annex F: cost benefit dam pond ..........................................................................................................89
21 Annex G: minutes of technical team meetings ...................................................................................90
22 Annex H: list of reports and documents consulted ...........................................................................98
23 Annex I: photographs of project, key activities and events to illustrate field activities and
achieved results ..............................................................................................................................................100

Project Funded by the European Union pg. 2 A project implemented by COFREPECHE
A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY, SIERRA LEONE
Final Technical Report (SLE107R04A)

24 Annex J: communication activities ...................................................................................................105
25 Annex K: inception report ..................................................................................................................111
26 Annex l: workshop report ...................................................................................................................111

Project Funded by the European Union pg. 3 A project implemented by COFREPECHE
A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY, SIERRA LEONE
Final Technical Report (SLE107R04A)

2 List of tables
Table 1: Delivery of the activities as indicated in the ToR ................................................................................................... 12
Table 2: Fish production, import, export and the per capita availability of fish in Sierra Leone ........................................... 34
Table 3: Prevalence of food insecurity in Sierra Leone ....................................................................................................... 37
Table 4: Results of the Aquaculture base line study of 2009 (Dabo et al., 2009) ................................................................ 41
Table 5: Investment cost for a dam pond ............................................................................................................................ 48
Table 6: Cost and benefit dam pond in Sierra Leone .......................................................................................................... 49
Table 7: Added value (USD/acre) by acre for several crops in Sierra Leone and its neighbouring countries ..................... 49
Table 8: Added value for labour (USD/labour day) low input fish farming and other cropping systems in Sierra Leone ..... 50
Table 9: Potential production and impact of low input fish farming (dam ponds) in Sierra Leone ....................................... 51
Table 10: Discounted cash flow analyses for fish only in dam pond in Sierra Leone (2 crops per year) ............................. 51
Table 11: The impact of fish farm gate price on financial indicators .................................................................................... 52
Table 12: Discounted cash flow analyses for rice and fish simultaneously in dam pond in Sierra Leone ........................... 52
Table 13: Key indicators for the performance of rice-cum-fish (2000 m2) ........................................................................... 54
Table 14: Discounted cash flow analyses for rice-cum-fish in modified rice field in Sierra Leone (1 crop per year) ........... 54
Table 15: Potential of rice-cum-fish in Sierra Leone ........................................................................................................... 55
Table 16: Investments for a 400 m2 tilapia pond ................................................................................................................. 58
Table 17: Components and cost estimate of an example of a local compound feed .......................................................... 58
Table 18: Estimated price of fingerlings .............................................................................................................................. 58
Table 19: Estimated labour costs for tilapia farming ........................................................................................................... 59
Table 20: Average fish price at the markets in Freetown, Bo, Kenema and Makeni in USD/kg over the period 2011- July
2012 .................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
Table 21: Used farm gate prices for tilapia farming based on Figure 10 ............................................................................. 60
Table 22: Viability of rearing tilapia with rice bran as feed and stocking of mixed, hand sexed or sex reversed fingerlings 62
Table 23: Viability of rearing tilapia with local made compound feed and stocking of mixed, hand sexed or sex reversed
fingerlings ............................................................................................................................................................................ 63
Table 24: Viability of rearing tilapia with imported compound feed and stocking of mixed, hand sexed or sex reversed
fingerlings ............................................................................................................................................................................ 64
Table 25: Farm gate price tilapia if increased by 30% ........................................................................................................ 67
Table 26: Discounted cash flow for semi-intensive tilapia wit hand sexed fingerlings and Local compound feed ............... 68
Table 27: Discounted cash flow analyses for intensive back yard farming of African catfish in Sierra Leone ..................... 70
Table 28: Discounted cash flow analyses for semi-intensive African catfish rearing in ponds ............................................ 72
Table 29: Available agriculture by products in Sierra Leone ............................................................................................... 79
Table 30: Example of a locally produced fish feed with Crude Protein content of about 30 % ............................................ 79
Table 31: Major fish markets in Sierra Leone ...................................................................................................................... 81

(list of figures and list of pictures, cf. next page)

Project Funded by the European Union pg. 4 A project implemented by COFREPECHE
A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY, SIERRA LEONE
Final Technical Report (SLE107R04A)

3 List of figures
Figure 1: Per capita availability of fish in Sierra Leone........................................................................................................ 34
Figure 2: Available fish for consumption for Asia and Africa ............................................................................................... 35
Figure 3: Annual Fish landing Marine fisheries in Sierra Leone .......................................................................................... 36
Figure 4: Annual Incomes in Sierra Leone .......................................................................................................................... 38
Figure 5: Potential for commercial fish farming in Africa ..................................................................................................... 43
Figure 6: Potential area for subsistence and commercial fish farming in Sierra Leone ....................................................... 44
Figure 7: Inland Valley and dam pond ................................................................................................................................. 47
Figure 8: Valley Swamp, cash crop (cacao, coffee, palm oil) coverage and areas suitable for fish farming in Sierra Leone
............................................................................................................................................................................................ 50
Figure 9: Monthly price of fresh Snapper, fresh Mackerel, fresh Shine nose and fresh Pollock ......................................... 60
Figure 10: Average Fresh fish price over the period January July 2012 ............................................................................. 60
Figure 11: Sensitivity of the Annual return on investments for increased Farm gate prices ................................................ 65
Figure 12: Sensitivity of the Annual return on investments for changes in the annual interest rate .................................... 66
Figure 13: Relation between Farm gate price and annual return on investment for intensive backyard catfish farming in
Sierra Leone ........................................................................................................................................................................ 71
Figure 14: Fish marketing in Sierra Leone .......................................................................................................................... 80

4 List of pictures
Picture 1: NGOs supporting the development of aquaculture ............................................................................................. 40
Picture 2: Steamed and smoked oysters sold at Kenema ................................................................................................... 42
Picture 3: Mine pits created by Sierra Rutile Ltd ................................................................................................................. 43
Picture 4: Dam ponds in Guinea ......................................................................................................................................... 47
Picture 5: The only dam pond in Sierra Leone, Developed with the support of Welt Hunger Hilfe in Kenema in 2012 ....... 53
Picture 6: Rice-cum-fish in Bo ............................................................................................................................................. 53
Picture 7: The target product high quality fresh tilapia of 200-300 grams ........................................................................... 56
Picture 8: Commercial tilapia farms in Africa ....................................................................................................................... 57
Picture 9: Backyard African catfish rearing in Nigeria ......................................................................................................... 69
Picture 10: Government Station of Bo and Makali .............................................................................................................. 76
Picture 11: Rudimentary facilities Njala University .............................................................................................................. 77
Picture 12: Commercial fish farming in Sierra Leone ........................................................................................................ 100
Picture 13: Laboratory Facilities at Njala University .......................................................................................................... 100
Picture 14: Interviewing private pond owners in Bo........................................................................................................... 101
Picture 15: Interviewing the owners of the only Dam pond in Sierra Leone ...................................................................... 101
Picture 16: Visiting Private fish farms in Sierra Leone....................................................................................................... 102
Picture 17: NGOs and the development of fish farming in Sierra Leone ........................................................................... 102
Picture 18: Selling Smoked oyster in Sierra Leone ........................................................................................................... 103
Picture 19: Rice cum fish farming in Bo ............................................................................................................................ 103
Picture 20: Final stakeholders workshop ........................................................................................................................... 104
Picture 21: Opening speech at the final stakeholder workshop......................................................................................... 104
Picture 22: Press release Concord Times ......................................................................................................................... 105
Picture 23: Front page Concord Times, 13th of February 2013 ......................................................................................... 106
Picture 24: Article published in the Concord Times, 13th of February 2013 ....................................................................... 107
Picture 25: Front page The Satellite, 13th February 2013 .................................................................................................. 108
Picture 26: Article The Satellite, 13th February 2013 ......................................................................................................... 109
Picture 27: Front side of the tee-shirt ................................................................................................................................ 110
Picture 28: Back side of the tee-shirt ................................................................................................................................. 110

Project Funded by the European Union pg. 5 A project implemented by COFREPECHE
A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY, SIERRA LEONE
Final Technical Report (SLE107R04A)

5 Acknowledgements
The COFREPECHE team greatly acknowledges the contribution of a large number of person/institutions which made the
implementation of the study possible:

The staff of MFMR who provided necessary information and organised the field trips;

The Technical Team members: Dr Salieu K. Sankoh; Mr Sheku Sei; Mr Kamorba K. Dabo; Mr Mawundu; Mr
Osman Kamara; Dr Olapada; Mr Jones; Miss Koroma; Mr Cole who provided guidance for the study;

The different stakeholders consulted during the study and the field trips: fish farmers, staff of NGOs, staff of and
international organisations;

The representatives of ACP Fish II who were always there to provide quick answers on administrative
procedures.

Project Funded by the European Union pg. 6 A project implemented by COFREPECHE
A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY, SIERRA LEONE
Final Technical Report (SLE107R04A)

6 Abbreviations and acronyms

ABC Agriculture Business Centers
CAADP Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme
CSFVA Comprehensive Food Security & Vulnerability Analysis
EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone
EU European Union
FA Financial Association
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FBO Farmer Based Organization
FCR Food Conversion Ratio
FDI Foreign Direct Investment
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit
GoSL Government of Sierra Leone
HIPC Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
IMBO Institute of Marine Biology and Oceanography of the University of Sierra Leone
IDRC International Development Research Center
IMF International Monetary Fund
IUU Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fishing
IVS Inland Valley Swamp
LVS Low Valley Swamp
MAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Forestry
MCDM Multi-Criteria Decision Making
MFMR Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources
NEPAD New Partnership for Africa's Development
NES National Export Strategy
NSADP National Sustainable Agriculture Development Plan
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
NPCA NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency
NPV Net Present Value
PAF Partnership for African Fisheries of NEPAD
PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
PVC PolyVinyl Chloride
SCP Smallholder Commercialisation Programme
SLARI Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute
SLIEPA Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency
SPADA Special Programme for Aquaculture Development in Africa
TCP Technical Cooperation Project
WARFP West Africa Regional Fisheries Program

Project Funded by the European Union pg. 7 A project implemented by COFREPECHE
A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY, SIERRA LEONE
Final Technical Report (SLE107R04A)

7 Units: measurements

l litre
g gramme
ha hectare
kg kilogramme
km kilometre
m metre
m2 square metre
m3 cubic metre
nb number
t tonne

8 Currencies: exchange rates

EUR Euro
SLL (Sierra Leone) Leone
USD United State Dollar

EUR 1 is equal to SLL 5 430
USD 1 is equal to SLL 4 350

Source: www.xe.com, exchange rate of the 6th of September 2012.

Project Funded by the European Union pg. 8 A project implemented by COFREPECHE
A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY, SIERRA LEONE
Final Technical Report (SLE107R04A)

9 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Over the past thirty years, aquaculture has become the fastest growing food-producing sector worldwide and it is an
increasingly important contributor to economic development, global food supply and food security at national levels.
However, this growth has occurred mainly outside Africa.

Africa holds vast inland waterways, with the larger bodies covering 520 000 km2. About 43 % of continental Africa is
assessed as having potentials for tilapia, African catfish and carp farming. The approach to aquaculture development in
Africa has now shifted from assistance to a subsistence aquaculture to supporting the development of a commercial
aquaculture sector following the understanding that in most cases, aquaculture should be considered as a small business.
This has been stimulated by the successful development of aquaculture business in Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Kenya.

In Sierra Leone, freshwater fish farming started in 1977 with the introduction of the Nile tilapia from Cote d’Ivoire. Then in
the late 1970s Peace Corps volunteers and later the German Agency for Technical Cooperation (former GTZ, now GIZ)
supported the development of aquaculture. The aquaculture base line survey carried out in 2005 indicated the existence
of 1 127 fish ponds in the country, of which only 657 were in operation and over 40 % of the ponds were abandoned.
Considering the high potential for fish farming in Sierra Leone and the present status after 35 years of development of
about 1 800 ponds in operation with a total annual production of about 90 t/year, it could be argued that fish farming
development did not meet its in Sierra Leone.

The purpose of this ACP Fish II project: “A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY, SIERRA LEONE”
was to support the MFMR in the implementation of the “strategic framework for aquaculture development for Sierra
Leone” through a comprehensive base line study. The base line study was carried out through; in (i) reviewing the state of
aquaculture; (ii) identifying potentials and constraints for the development of the aquaculture sector; (iii) develop a map of
existing and potential sites; and (iv) organising a workshop to discuss the findings.

The study was implemented in two phases through:

Phase 1

1. Establishment of a Technical team;
2. The review and analyses of all available information and documentation on aquaculture in Sierra Leone, made
available by the MFMR;
3. Consultation with stakeholders in Freetown;
4. Visits of selected sites in areas determined in consultation with MFMR;
5. Preparation of a comprehensive base line study report.

Phase 2

6. Organization of a stakeholders workshop to discuss the findings are presented in the Interim Technical Report
(draft Base line report);
7. Preparation of the Final technical Report.

Major findings of the study were:

After 30 years, aquaculture in Sierra Leone can still be considered as a marginal business. The main reason is that the
development strategy selected in the 1980s did not take into consideration whether the promoted systems would fit into
the overall farming system of rural farmers.

Project Funded by the European Union pg. 9 A project implemented by COFREPECHE
A COMPREHENSIVE AQUACULTURE BASE LINE STUDY, SIERRA LEONE
Final Technical Report (SLE107R04A)

Promotion of aquaculture in rural areas is coherent with government priorities on improvement of livelihood and food
security and should be continue with an appropriate development strategy based on low input – low output system. The
study indicated that these systems are technical and financial viable in Sierra Leone

It is however realised that low input–low output systems will not drive the growth in the aquaculture sector. For this a
different stakeholders group should be targeted: small business holders, who have the financial capacity to invest
USD 8 000-20 000, who are able to pre-finance the operational cost and have entrepreneurial skills.

The study indicated that semi intensive farming of tilapia and African catfish is technical and financially viable in Sierra
Leone if sold for a farm gate price of USD 3-3.5 per kg.

The current major constraints for aquaculture development are:

The development capacity for aquaculture;
The availability of fish feed;
The availability of fish seed;
Access to land.

These issues should be addressed in a national development strategy and action plan.

Project Funded by the European Union pg. 10 A project implemented by COFREPECHE