1.
Introduction
The agriculture sector in Ethiopia which hosts an immense amount-73 percent of the population
of the country shows a marginal decline to the contribution of the GDP of the country. But still it
is the backbone and a single largest sector in supporting the economy of Ethiopia (WFP, 2019).
The sector is also generating 90 percent of the export earnings and supplying 70 percent of the
required raw materials for the manufacturing industry (Aleme A. and Lemma Z. 2015).
However, providing adequate food for a rapidly increasing human population is becoming one of
the acute challenges in Ethiopia where, besides population explosion, natural and man-made
calamites have aggravated the problem (Lemma A, 2017). So the country faces high level of
food insecurity which labels it under one of the hungriest countries in the world with Global
Hunger Index (GHI) of 29.1 in 2018 which is still serious (Feed the Future 2018). For this
drought and other related disasters can be taken as a reason that triggers the increase in
vulnerability to food insecurity as well as to the undermined livelihoods. On the other hand,
limited opportunity for diversification of income sources and unemployment stated as the others
triggers for the aforementioned problem faced by the country.
In addition to increasing food production from land agriculture, it is necessary to sustainably
exploit the aquatic ecosystems to contribute towards the effort of food security by virtue of their
high productivity. Ethiopia’s fish resources could undoubtedly offer one of the solutions to the
problem of food shortage in the country (Pattnaik. S. B,
.Fishes contribute fatty acids and omega 3 that are necessary for the development of the brain
and body for young, infants and pregnant (FAO, 2003). It is also one of the important sources of
employment and livelihood for millions of world wide. Fishes are richest type of food with the
highest protein quality, vitamins, micronutrients like zink, iron, calcium etc. (FAO, 2005).
Since Ethiopia is a land locked country, the growing fish demand has largely been met through
inland capture fishery and extensive aquaculture-reservoirs. (janko, 2014). Ethiopia’s annual fish
production from water bodies (there are about 14 major rivers, 25 major lakes and 14 major
reservoirs in Ethiopia) is around 94500 tons, while fish demand is projected to increase from
95000 tons in 2015 to 118000 tons in 2025. There are not less than 200 fish species in Ethiopia.
But only few are commercially important in the country. This is because of consumer preference,
lack of awareness by fishers, lack of awareness by extension agents and policy makers on the
diversity and potential use of some species (Gashaw et.al, 2015
Value chain analysis is necessary complement of food security analysis. It assesses natural and
economic assets, household food production system, explores the links with household food
security and livelihoods for decision making. Value chain analysis is increasingly recognised as
robust tools to protect threatened links as away to add value, facilitate upgrading of others to
generate greater return for the stakeholders and means to reduce the rural poverty prevalent in
the region (WFP, 2010).
Value chain analysis takes into account all the contextual information described in the food
security analysis frame work like agro-ecological conditions, economic conditions and market
access and marketing/sales information. But the current knowledge on fish value chain
performance is poor for designing policies. This makes the government to put little effort to
promote fish for poverty alleviation. Therefore Upgrading value chains diversifies livelihood
strategies by creating opportunities for added products, processes, roles, the way actors share
benefits, and the relationships and linkages among actors.
Studies has been undergone on fish value chain analysis in some selected lakes but not in lakes
Koka, Ziway and Hawasa i.e there is a dearth of studies that links fish value chain analysis in
these described lakes. This is the gap that this study attempts to fill. So, the aim of this study is to
analyse fish value chain in Lakes Koka, Ziway and Hawasa.
Understanding the status of the value chain are important in improving food security and
livelihood in areas along the value chain. This study also add scientific value as the findings will
be used to identify the role of gender along the value chain and factors that constraint and
facilitate fish value chain development.
Objectives
To analyse the fish value chain along the main channels and major marketing routes
Identify the role of gender in fish value chain
Analyse factors that constraint or facilitate value chain development
Methodology of the study
The study was completed by two teams: data collection (four individuals) and data entry (three
individuals). Two main target groups were identified in this study: fishers and traders (whole
sellers and retailers).
The work for this study consisted of three main stages: planning, data collection and data entry.
Planning:
The study team carried out the following activities during the planning stage:
The study team leader made presentation on value chain analysis to the rest of the team
The team designed and drafted (in English) two questionnaires to be used in the study-one
for fishers and one for traders
The study team tested and revised the questionnaires-
The team discussed and agreed on a detail activity and travel schedule and finalized
Sampling Population
The total population size of this research was --- out of the --- were male and --- female both
fishermen and cooperative, traders are the sampling population.
Sample size Determination
240 fishermen and traders men were selected from the total population using random sampling
technique. It was prepared questionnaire for the fishermen and cooperative leaders were
interviewed. Among --- respondents --- were male and --- were female.
The sampling Techniques
Random sampling techniques utilized to the respondents. This gives equal chance for each and
every fisher men cooperative and user of fish in the community.
Data collection
Data collectors were organized into two groups. One is to interview the fishers and the other is to
interview the traders at the landing site as well as at the nearby city where they run their
business. The data was collected from both primary and secondary data sources, primary data
obtained by open and close ended questionnaire was applied to the fishermen and cooperative
men was interviewed. The secondary data were obtained from different written documents
(Journals, Books and internets) and woreda agricultural offices.
Focus group discussions (FDG) were undertaken to identify the major value chain process and
problems or challenges in the process that face the main actors in the respective lakes. Nine
focus group discussions (FDG) were conducted with 45 fishery cooperatives management
members to explore their views.
Data entry and analysis
The response to the questionnaires was entered into SPSS. Each completed questionnaires were
reviewed and checked by the corresponding interviewer and the assigned person for this purpose.
The data was then analyzed to generate the outputs presented in this report. The data were
analyzed using tables percentage and figures.
Overview of the study area
The research was conducted at lakes Hawassa, Koka and Ziway.
Lake Hawassa is the smallest of the eight lakes in the Rift valley of Ethiopia. It is Located in the
SNNPRS, bordering the eastern side of Hawassa city, which is located 275 km south of Addis
Ababa. Geographically, the lake lies between 6°33'–7°33' N and 38°22'–38°29' E at an altitude of
1680 ma.s.l. The lake has a surface area of 90 km2, a mean depth of 11 m, a volume of
1.036x109m3 and a drainage area of 1,250 km2. It is a terminal lake with no surface out flow
and receives surface inflow through Tikur Wuha River.
Lake Hawassa is used for a variety of purposes like fishing, recreation, swimming, drinking
water supply by the communities surrounding it and cultivation of vegetables.
Figure 1: map of Lake Hawasa
The tropical Lake Koka is located in the Ethiopian Rift Valley (08°23’22” N - 39°05’15”E) at
an altitude of 1 590 m.a.s.l., about 90 km Southeast of Addis Ababa. It has a surface area of
about 255 km2 with a maximum and mean depth of 14 m and 9 m, respectively (Vanden,
Bossche, & Bernacsek, 1991; LFDP, 1997). Water in- and outflow is mainly provided by the
Awash River. In addition, the Mojo River may also generate inflow during the rainy season. The
lake has a large floodplain area in its Western side. The climate is characterized by a four-
months dry season (November- February) and an eight-months rainy season (March-October)
(Gamachu, 1977). The total annual rainfall varies from 600-800 mm in the Rift Valley area
(Ayenew, 2004) and the mean annual temperature ranges from 20-26 oC (an average of about 23
°C) (Degefu, Teshome, Tesfaye, Tefera, & Lakew, 2011). The pH of the water ranges from 8-9
and conductivity from 200-393 μS/cm (Mesfin, Tudorancea, & Baxter, 1988; Degefu et al.,
2011). The Secchi depth of Lake Koka is low and on average ranges from 12-28 cm due to
suspended silt coming in by the River Awash (Kebede, Zinabu, & Ahlgren, 1994; Degefu et al.,
2011). Sediments are very fine, easily washable through a 200 μm mesh net, and the organic
content is rather high when compared to other tropical African lakes described by Mesfin et al.
(1988). Its chlorophyll a content is changing over time and reported figures include: 13.5 μg/L
(Kebede et al., 1994), 22.4 μg/L (Mesfin et al., 1988) and 214.1 μg/L (Degefu et al., 2011). Other
chemical and limnological features were also studied by (Mesfin et al., 1988; Kebede et al.,
1994; Tudorancea, Zinabu, & Dadebo, 1999; Zinabu, Kebede, & Desta, 2002).
Lake Ziway (also known as Zway, Zwai, Zeway and Zuai in the literature; Makin et al., 1975)
belongs to the Central Ethiopian Rift. It is the third largest lake in the Ethiopian part of the Rift
Valley and fourth in the country in termes of surface area. It lies in a shallow down-faulted basin
(Gasse and Street, 1978) flanked in the east by a large basalt field with sandy or rocky shores
(Schroder, 1984). Lake Ziway is bordered by two administrative zones of Oromia Regional
State. The Western part belongs to East Shoa Zone while the Eastern part belongs to Arsi Zone
(Fig. 1.1). The Western shore is shared by two districts, namely, Adami Tullu Jiddo Kombolcha
(A. T. J.Kombolcha) and Dugda. The Eastern shore belongs to only Ziway Dugda (Z. Dugda)
district. On the average, the lake is located at an elevation of 1650 meter above sea level at 7089'
- 8005' N latitude and 38072' - 38092' E longitude located at about 163 km south of Addis
Ababa.
The lake is shallow and has an open water area of 434 km2 and shoreline length of 137 km, a
maximum depth of 8.9 m and an average depth of 2.5 m (Von Damm and Edmond, 1984). The
maximum length and width of the lake is 32 km and 20 km, respectively (LFDP, 1997). There
are two main feeder rivers to L. Ziway; namely, Meki originating from Gurage Mountains in the
north-west and Ketar from the Arsi Mountains in the east; and it has one outflow in the south
through Bulbula River, draining into Lake Abijata (Fig. 1.1). Lake Ziway contains five main
Islands: Tullu Guddo (4.8 km2), Tsedecha (2.1 km2), Debresina (0.3 km2), Funduro (0.4 km2)
and Gelila (0.2 km2). Debresina and Gelila have only a few inhabitants, the other three are
inhabited by several hundreds of people (Yared Tigabu, 2003).
Results
Number of respondents
Lake
Category Lake Koka Lake Hawasa Total
Ziway/Batu
Fishers
Traders
Value Chain Actors
The results from the FGDs which were held on Lakes Koka, Ziway and Hawasa are summarized
below.
The main core processes involved in the fish value chain in the study areas include input supply,
production, processing, transportation, storing, marketing, and consumption. These value chain
stages are described in the following section.
Input supply
In Lakes Koka and Ziway/Batu the government-woreda experts and development agents have
been supporting the fishermen in terms of organizing trainings and they got materials from the
market (most of the time from ziway). In Lake Hawasa they got all inputs/materials from
Hawasa town and also have a support from the woreda experts and development agents in terms
of organizing trainings and advisory supports.
Batu fish research center, with the support of MoST tried to build shades that may help the
fisher’s as well as the traders in processing the fish in Lake Koka, so that the landing site keep its
hygiene clean. But, brokers around the lake Koka make the project not to be implemented and
the research center was forced to implement the project in Lake Ziway/Batu.
Fish production
In Lake Koka three fisher’s cooperatives, in Lake Ziway, five fisher’s cooperatives and in Lake
Hawasa five fisher’s cooperatives were interviewed which are currently involved in .fish
production.
In Lake Koka 79 fishers (all are male but one female) were interviewed. In this Lake the fishers
catch tilapia, catfish and carp and supply all the catches to the cooperative and the cooperative
sell the whole fish (except the cat fish, they sell the filleted catfish to the traders) to the traders
who come from Adiss Ababa (four traders), Adama (one trader) and Mojo (three traders).
On the other hand they sell directly to processors and consumers who come from the nearby
town-Koka.
The cooperative has strong relationship with the woreda. The price of the fish harvested is set
with discussion made by the woreda government, the cooperatives and the traders. There is a
schedule for the eight traders who are the only traders who do have recognition by the woreda.
The cooperative and the traders have memorandum of understanding.
The cooperative do not sell the harvested fish to others without the knowledge of the traders
The traders never pass their schedule to take the harvested fish
But there is one cooperative in Lake Koka apart from the other cooperatives, they sell their fish
to the brokers who organized themselves around the village. This cooperative is apart from other
cooperatives sell their fish five birr lower than the others. B/c the traders do not get them
directly.
The brokers take the fish and sell to traders and travellers around metoaleka. The brokers are
illegal and do give no access to other traders to the entry in the chain. If cooperatives shout to the
government, the brokers will robe the nets and boats of the cooperatives. On the other hand, the
catfish is the most catches fish in the area. And small sizes of fish than the other sites relatively.
Dried fish is processed and come to market at metoaleka.
Fishers in Lake Koka
Average fishing trip is ; average catch is ; average sales price ;
Quantities per species;
Employment ;
Processors
Females and under the
Brokers age of 15 had great
Buy all the catches from role in producing
the malima diba processed food, in
cooperative in lake koka filleting and gutting
from fish
Traders
Consumers
In Lake Ziway 80 fishers (all are male) were interviewed. In this Lake the fishers catch tilapia,
catfish and carp and supply all the catches to the cooperative and the cooperative sell the whole
fish to the traders who come from the nearby town. On the other hand they sell directly to
processors and consumers who come from the nearby town-Ziway/Batu. Unlike to Lake Koka,
Lake Ziway/Batu has no any clear coordination and communication with the government-
woreda. And also use boats made of grass type which has the capacity to transport only a person.
This makes unique unlike to the other two Lakes.
In Lake Hawasa 85 fishers (all are male) were interviewed. In this Lake the fishers catch tilapia,
catfish and carp and supply all the catches to the cooperative and the cooperative sell the whole
fish to the traders who come from the nearby town. On the other hand they sell directly to
processors and consumers who come from the nearby town-Hawasa and travellers. Unlike to
Lake Koka, Lake Hawasa has no any clear coordination and communication with the
government-woreda.
In the Lake there were 1000 illegal private fishers, two illegal fishery cooperatives and one legal
fishery cooperative. And all these were found in hawasa town and its rural areas.
Traders
The trader sub sector consists of three distinct functions or roles: brokers, whole sellers and
retailers. The brokers were found in Lake Koka at one landing site only. They are the only
brokers who have contact with the malima cooperatives. They receive the product with the price
of five birr lower than the nearby cooperatives.
There were eight whole sale traders who buy the catches from the Lake Koka cooperatives.
These whole sale traders come from Adiss Ababa (four traders), Adama (one trader) and Mojo
(three traders). The traders supply the product to retailers and consumers at the respective town.
In lake Ziway/Batu there were more traders than in Lake Koka. These traders come from Batu
city and supply the product to the surrounding fish shops, hotels and restaurants. Few traders do
have a vehicle to supply the product to Addiss Ababa piasa atikilt tera.
In Lake Hawasa there were more traders than in the other Lakes. These traders come from
Hawasa and shashemene city and supply the product to the surrounding fish shops, hotels and
restaurants. Few traders do have a vehicle to supply the product to Addiss Ababa piasa atikilt
tera.
Analysis of critical factors and challenges
This section of the study outlines the major challenges facing the Lakes and fishery. The fishery
is an important source of jobs both within local communities and for those coming from farther
afield. Many households are dependent on the Lakes for their livelihood including the fisheries,
processors and traders (Brokers, whole sellers, retailers). However from the management
perspective the lakes are in a fragile state. Most of the fish being caught at present are small
sized and the total catches in the last five years shows a decline trend, indicating that overfishing
is a serious problem. The importance of the lakes in terms of jobs, income and food security,
coupled with the challenges and opportunities identified by the value chain analysis, calls for a
change in attitudes by all stakeholders towards management of the lakes.
At Lake Ziway
Critical factor or problem Severity of problem
Availability and quality of
Input problems
fishing gear
Computition with illegal
Capture problems fishers
No government back up
Poor post harvest handling
Postharvest and marketing process
problems Pollution of the water by
wastes
Production factors
Lack of security
The lack of security in and around the lakes was raised during the FGD, showing its importance.
This leads to competition on fishing grounds, as unlicensed fishers compete to licensed fishers
for the same areas.
Overfishing and reduction in fish resources
Overfishing in the Lakes was a major concern for the participants. The lack of enforcement by
the government authorities (lack of restrictions on net mesh size) have reportedly led to a
depletion of fish stocks in some landing sites.
Poor post harvest handling process
There was great concern about the poor handling of fish after harvest. Because fish activities
takes place during the night the fish are kept in the boat with traditional preservation method
using leaves of a selected tree but no ice. So the fish can be spoiling resulting in reduced fish
quality at the point of sale.
Fish processing technology
Participants in the FGDs mentioned that the processing undergone is traditional way and
everywhere around the landing site. Also waste from processing fish was discarded instead of
being processed as fertilizer or animal feed.
at Meto Aleka-koka
Weakness for the value chain
The main weaknesses in the value chain were
References
Aleme A, and Lemma Z. 2015. Contribution of Livestock Sector in Ethiopian Economy: A
Review. International journal of Advances in Life Science and Technology V(29).
Lemma Abera, 2017. Fisheries production system scenario in Ethiopia.
International journal of fisheries and aquatic studies. 5(1), 79-84
World food program 2019. Comprehensive food security and vulnerability analysis in Ethiopia.
Feed the Future 2018. Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) Ethiopia Country Plan
World food program 2010. Market analysis tool.
