Mapping the Value Chain for Farmed Fish and Gender Analysis ... 101transformation of aquaculture fish through frying and smoking. This could
also indicate that aquaculture fish does not travel far inland to rural villages
(Norad, 2014). Fish trading remained informal with producers selling directly
to local villagers due to the small quantities produced, indicating no
distribution network has been established to reach consumers. Proportionately
more women than men dealt in processed fish products. Processing of fish
often require a lot of patience, factors that tends to favour women more than
men (Lwenya et al., 2009). The difference in ways of processing is partly
because of taste and preference among the consumers. Previous survey by
Musa et al. (2014) indicated a high demand of fresh followed by fried fish
around Nyanza region.
The main problems experienced by both genders in Nyanza region are cost
and quality of feeds. Most Kenyan fish farmers have mentioned cost of fish
feed and feed management as their major challenges (Shitote et al., 2001).
Many authors concur that growth of the aquaculture is positively correlated to
the progressive use of quality feeds, which meet the nutritional requirements
of the cultured fish (FAO 2010). Both genders indicated poor quality seed as a
major challenge along the AVC. The results of the survey could serve as an
indicator that feed and seed quality are the most serious bottlenecks in the
AVC in many developing nations such as Kenya. Consumer’s perception
affects marketability of farmed fish in Kenya which concurs with other
previous findings (Darko 2011, Musa et al., 2014). Consumer’s perception that
wild caught fish is tastier than cultured fish is still a stumbling block for
acceptability of cultured fish in many regions (Drake et al., 2006; Dasgupta
et al., 2010; Musa et al., 2014).
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
This study has shown that women play an important role in AVC.
Majority of men owned farm land/ponds while women had access to but not
ownership of land, limiting their access to credit due to lack of collateral. Post-
harvest trade and sale of farmed fish is currently a “black hole” that remains to
be filled and organized as production increases to ensure the fish produced
meets both the protein needs of local poor households and demand for fish
further afield.
Women dominated production and grow-out stage along the AVC.
Despite their importance and contribution to this artisanal industry, women
have received little attention from the government in terms of capacity