Integrated agriculture-aquaculture (IAA) systems in Zambia: A case study of aquacultural system management and farm diversity in two districts of Northern Province
Open Access
- Author:
- Johnson, Jacob
- Graduate Program:
- Forest Resources
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- June 26, 2023
- Committee Members:
- Heather Karsten, Major Field Member
Leif Jensen, Outside Unit & Field Member
Jay Stauffer, Major Field Member
Michael Jacobson, Chair & Dissertation Advisor
Bradley Cardinale, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- agroecology
aquaculture
integrated agriculture
smallholder
farm system diversity - Abstract:
- Aquaculture contributes to food security, agricultural development, and poverty reduction initiatives in the country of Zambia. In the Northern Province, an abundance of perennial water bodies and high local demand for food fish create ideal conditions for aquacultural development. Smallholder farmers adopting aquaculture cultivate native tilapias in earthen ponds and use harvested fish for both income generation and consumption. However, rural regions of Northern Province are resource-poor; and road, social service and market infrastructures are underdeveloped. Due to limited market access and household purchasing power, many farmers cannot obtain high-quality commercial inputs for use in aquaculture. Instead, integrated-agriculture practices are adopted, whereby on-farm resources are used to supply essential feeds and fertilizers for aquacultural systems. Recent research emphasizes that the development of locally adapted, integrated-agriculture technologies is crucial for increasing productivity in aquaculture and optimizing the benefits that aquaculture provides to household livelihood. However, these studies also highlight existing gaps in knowledge regarding local systems of resource management, as well as specific functions that aquaculture performs in the livelihoods of smallholders. Therefore, this case study used a mixed method design to expand understanding regarding local contexts of resource use within smallholder aquaculture systems in Northern Province. Three investigations were conducted to: (a) identify smallholders’ perceptions regarding the challenges experienced in aquacultural system management, (b) understand how local feed and fertilization strategies contribute or fail to contribute to productivity in aquacultural systems; and (c) identify the characteristics of farm systems and household livelihood which most explain the diversity of aquacultural systems and associated feed management strategies. A sample of n=68 smallholder farmers adopting aquaculture in Luwingu and Luponsoshi districts of Northern Province participated in this study from October through November 2021. Farmers engaged in semi-structured interviews, surveys, farm appraisals, and open-ended discussions. Interviews, discussions, and farm appraisals generated qualitative data contextualizing farmer perceptions of aquacultural systems management. Surveys generated quantitative data describing household livelihood, farm systems, management intensities in aquaculture, and aquacultural system outcomes. Qualitative data were analyzed using focused and thematic coding. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate statistics, as well as analysis of variance, multiple linear regression, and chi-squared tests. Key qualitative findings indicated that farmers perceive that access and availability of aquacultural feeds were primary constraints to system management. Farmers perceived that quantities and qualities of feed were least proficient during the months of August to November. Quantitative analyses contextualized technical intensities of local management and identified local and farm generated feeds most associated with productivity in aquaculture. Additionally, an analysis of farm system diversity identified four categories of smallholders which differed according to household capital endowment, food insecurity and access, economic orientation, technical intensity in aquaculture, and aquacultural production outcomes. The results of this study inform the development of appropriate interventions or technologies which aim to optimize aquacultural feeding strategies for resource-poor farmers. Such technology development may benefit household food and nutritional security by offering opportunities for smallholders to intensify aquacultural systems according to their own resources and capabilities.