Chimwemwe Tembo

The significant of lake Chilwa basin to  fishing  communities  around   lake  Chilwa basin cannot be overemphasized.  The  fishing ground provides  fish resources  to the wetland  communities thereby reducing malnutrition cases among the fishing population.   Lake  Chilwa  basin  also offers   direct  and  indirect employment opportunities to the population within the wetland.    The  basin  directly  employs  1183 fishers(GoM, 2024) and  indirectly employs more  than  31864  households in  fishing  related industries for example boat building and gear making.

In spite  of  these  significant  positive  impacts,    southern part of Lake Chilwa basin is facing the challenge of dwindling of fish catches and species. The basin also experienced  a drop in  fish catches  at an average of 30%(GoM, 2024)  coupled  with  complete extinction of some fish  species in the  years between 2010 and 2021(GoM, 2023).  Over the last decades, in the southern part of the basin, over 6 species went  extinct(GoM,2022). Aquaculture was adopted  as a possible solution to the collapsing fish stocks in the basin. A fish species, coptodon rendalli was identified for the ISA  project.

1.0 Project activities

1.1 Training  farmers/fishers  in pond construction

1.2 Training  farmers/fishers in feeding and feed formulation

1.4 Training  farmers/fishers    in fish health and disease control

1.5 Training  farmers/fishers  in fish farming business models

1.6 Training  farmers/fishers   in climate smart aquaculture.

1.7 Training  farmers/ fishers in public healthy