1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Pilot project background

Small-scale fish farming was heavily promoted on Swazi National Lands through the agricultural extension service during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Over 500 small fish ponds were built and operated by farmers in the low-lying Lubombo Region alone (see Figures 1 & 2). However, from the mid-1980s fish farming activity dropped off for a variety of reasons: a retrenched agriculture extension service; destruction of the lowveld Nyetane dam and the adjacent fish hatchery by cyclone Domoina in 1984; and, disappointing fish culture results at the farmer level.

The ALCOM formulation mission during late 1987 recognized the physical potential for fish culture in Lubombo Region, and the potential for fish culture to improve nutrition in rural communities. The pilot project “Rehabilitation of Homestead Ponds in Swaziland” was elaborated with the overall objective of increasing the supply of protein and providing income-earning opportunities for rural communities through aquaculture.

Immediate objectives are to:

increase consumption of fish and generation of income among homestead families in Lubombo Region, and eventually in other areas of the country
develop and promote fish farming techniques integrated with farming practices
implement fish farming extension services which are effective and commensurate with the value of fish produced

The pilot project is being implemented in three phases:

Study phase to document and evaluate the current state of homestead fish farming and extension in Lubombo Region, and suggest improvements.
Rehabilitation phase to implement improvements in homestead fish farming and extension on a pilot scale in selected areas of Lubombo Region.
Expansion phase to extend improved fish farming techniques and extension services throughout Lubombo Region and into other regions of the country.

The study phase reported here was implemented from mid-1990 through the third quarter of 1991.

1.2 Participants

The pilot project is being implemented by the Project Group for Aquaculture Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mbabane, which comprises:

Mr. Freddie Magagula	Fisheries Officer
Mr. Johannes Msibi	Assistant Fisheries Officer
Ms. Z. Hlanze	Rural Sociologist
Ms. N. Tibane	Agricultural Economist
Ms. J. Aphane	Nutritionist

The group is being assisted by ALCOM's Farming Systems Team, based in Harare. The following ALCOM staff have been associated with this team during 1990–1991:

Mr. Henk van der Mheen	Aquaculturist (to 6.91)
Mr. Neil MacPherson	Consultant Socio-economist (8&10.90)
Ms. Sevaly Sen	Consultant Socio-economist (2.91)
Mr. Boyd A. Haight	Senior Aquaculturist (from 7.91)
Ms. Dominique Blariaux	Agronomist (APO) (from 7.91)

In addition, the Fisheries Assistant Officer for Lubombo Region, Mr. Amos Hlophe, has been closely involved with field work. Four enumerators were hired to administer the socio-economic survey.

1.3 Study phase objectives and activities

The objectives of the study phase are to:

identify all fish farmers in Lubombo Region and document their fish farming practices
describe the farming systems of homestead farmers and evaluate the potential for integrating fish farming
describe the nutritional and income status of homestead farmers and the potential to make improvements through fish farming
evaluate the effectiveness of existing extension services and community organizations for delivering fish farming messages.

Three main activities were carried out:

Census of fish farmers in mid-1990.
Socio-economic survey of fish farmers in late 1990.
Two missions to gather additional information on farming systems.

This report presents the overall findings of the study phase and proposes activities for improved fish culture techniques integrated with farming practices, extension services, and follow-up studies during the rehabilitation phase, 1991–1993.