May 1989
This is the first in a series of Field Reports by the Socio-Economic Working Group of FAO/UNDP Project UGA/87/007, Fisheries Statistics and Information Systems. Socio-Economic Field Reports (SEC Fld Rpts) are intended as occasional working documents/briefs/notes covering on-going Group activities, issued for the information of Project team members and other interested colleagues. Length, format, and content will vary according to the type and scope of activity reviewed (field trips, surveys, studies, workshops, etc.). It is cautioned that observations and findings presented in the Reports should be treated as preliminary and subject to further verification. Correspondence, comments, and suggestions are welcomed and may be forwarded to: J. Eric Reynolds, Socio-Economic Advisor, UGA/87/007, FAO/UN, P.O. Box 521, Kampala, Uganda.
VISIT TO KASENYI LANDING
20th January, 1989.
A day visit to Kasenyi Landing was carried out as part of a larger preliminary survey and reconnaissance exercise of the Uganda fisheries regions which fall within the Project area (Lakes Victoria, George, and Edward). Mr. Odongkara, representing the Project Socio-economic (SEC) Group, joined with members of the Project Bio-Stat Group in making this field trip.
The team met and held discussions with the Fisheries Department staff stationed at the landing, including Mr. Sembalirwa and Mr. Aiga, Assistant Fisheries Development Officers (AFDOs), and Mr. Senviri, Fish Marketing Assistant (FMA). A number of local fishermen and traders were also interviewed.
2. THE LANDING AND THE COMMUNITY
Kasenyi Landing is situated close to Entebbe in Busiro County of Mpigi District (Lake Victoria East Fisheries Region). Although quite large and well known, Kasenyi lacks legal status in that it lies on private land and is not officially gazetted as a landing. Whilst serving as home base for more than two score fishing units, it is actually more important as a collection and distribution point than as a fish harvesting centre per se. The landing is most active between 1100 to 1500 h., when fishing units and transport canoes are off-loading their catches and cargoes, and traders are busy negotiating for their consignments.
Kasenyi has only minimal on-shore facilities. There is no mooring/off-loading pier, cleaning/weighing shed, or clean water supply. Sanitary facilities are rather limited in relation to the large number of people who congregate each day. The Fisheries staff lack any office or other accomodation at the site.
Access is provided by a 5 km track which leads in from the main Entebbe-Kampala road. Public transport vehicles make regular trips to and from the landing, ferrying both passengers and goods. Supplies of gear, fuel, and provisions are therefore usually available at the landing, though shortages of certain inputs and spare parts are said to occur. Artisans and mechanics are available for equipment and boat maintenance needs, and a variety of other small businesses are to be found as well, including tea and refreshment kiosks, barbers, and tailoring services.
Kasenyi Landing is adjacent to the heavily populated village of Bayita. Dwellings are quite basic and closely packed together, and infrastructure is poorly developed. A full stream primary school is the only notable public service feature of the entire settlement. About 140 fishermen reside in the vacinity, of whom about 24 are owners of one or more boats. Some 200 fish sellers are based here as well, including about 20 who can be considered to be large scale dealers. There are in addition around 50 fish processors who work on a seasonal basis. Finally, there is a very sizeable population of petty merchandise traders and retail shop owners.
The fishermen who live in and around Bayita are reported to depend heavily on agriculture and commerce to supplement their livelihoods. The absence of any formal organisation like a company or co-operative which could protect and serve collective fishing interests is presumably due to the diffuse nature of their income-generating activities. It many also be due to the generally dominant role of fish traders and other commercial middle-agents in the economic life of the community.
3. PRODUCTION, PROCESSING, & TRADE
There are 44 fishing boats based at Kasenyi of which 4 are motorised and 4 are non-operational. Twenty engine-powered transport boats link the various offshore islands with the landing. Twelve of these are permanently based at the landing. Transport craft carry a great deal of smoked fish from the islands in addition to providing passenger and general freight services. Cargoes of smoked fish range between about half a tonne to a tonne per trip.
Fishing units are usually equipped with gill nets, of which there is an average of 5 per boat. Some longlining is also practised. Nile perch figure as the principal target species, followed by tilapia, Bagrus, and Clarias. Average daily catch per boat is reported to be 40 kg. Although Kasenyi units generally operate directly between the landing and local fishing grounds, some seasonal migration occurs to temporary bases on the numerous offshore islands.
Fish traders obtain their consignments every morning through an auction system. Prices are thus subject to marked variation depending on supply and market conditions. On the day of visit, fresh fish prices were running at UShs 60/kg for Nile perch, 120/kg for tilapia, 130/kg for Bagrus, and 100/kg for Clarias. Fresh fish is taken to Kampala and Entebbe markets, while smoked fish goes to the Mityana, Kasese and Zaire markets. Although most smoked fish originate from the islands, processing is also carried out directly at Kasenyi. There are 25 improved smoking kilns at the landing, and several sun-drying racks and frying units were also observed. Scarce fuelwood supplies pose constraints for the approximately 50 processors who are reported to work here during seasons when fish is plentiful.
Large-scale fish traders operate their own pick-up trucks to transport fish to kampala and other more remote markets. Small-scale traders depend on bicycles and taxis, and circulate around markets in the immediate area.
Kasenyi is one of the chief landings in the Entebbe area, yet has no legal status as such since it has never been gazetted. Official response to the situation has been one of ambivalence. On the one hand the Fisheries Department implicitly recognises the importance of Kasenyi, as reflected by the fact that three staff have been posted on duty there. On the other hand, little if anything has been done to upgrade facilities and operations at the site. The Fisheries staff must carry out their duties without benefit of office accomodation or shaded work area, and there are no covered facilities for weighing, cleaning, and packing of catches, or for protecting consignments of fish whilst awaiting transportation. Fish handling practices and sanitary measures generally stand in need of a considerable degree of improvement.
Infrastructural facilities and social amenities are of course very deficient within the Kasenyi - Bayita Village area as a whole. Conditions have certainly suffered with the breakdown in public service delivery and the climate of political insecurity and economic crisis prevailing in the country in past years. Yet opportunities for community improvement have perhaps also been neglected by the area residents themselves. A certain basic cohesiveness is necessary in order for community development projects to be organised through local initiative. This may be absent in the case of the Kasenyi-Bayita fisherfolk, who seem to be taken up with a variety of other commercial pursuits and interests besides their occupation on the water. Their lack of any formal trade organisation may be symptomatic in this regard. A co-operative society or even a simple fishermen's committee, for example, might offer a means of dealing with the problems of input and spare parts shortages that seem to be the subject of general complaint. Yet there has been no collective effort taken in this direction.
