Rebuilding livelihoods through aquaculture in conflict-affected northeast Nigeria

Fishing has been the main source of livelihoods for many communities in northeast Nigeria, especially in Borno State which borders Lake Chad.

However, long-running armed conflict in the region has caused one of the worst humanitarian emergencies in the world. Fishing in Lake Chad has been banned on security grounds, depriving fisherfolk of their livelihoods.

Besides losing income, the local communities were also exposed to food insecurity and malnutrition since they heavily depended on fish as the main source of protein and other essential nutrients. Many fled the insurgency, abandoning their farmlands and fishing areas to seek safety.

In April 2019, FAO launched its first aquaculture intervention in Borno State, with the aim of providing these communities, particularly youths and women, with alternative sources of income and protein-rich food. FAO trained them in safe and sustainable aquaculture practices, and provided them with equipment and continued technical assistance to embark on aquaculture and realize good harvests from their fish tanks.

Seeing results

The results have been remarkable. The trainees were organized into groups or clusters of ten people, and each group received ten large fiberglass fish tanks (3 000 litres capacity) and 5 000 juvenile catfish as well as fish feed and other equipment. Each cluster’s tanks are installed on land donated by the Local Government Area authority and traditional leaders in safe and secure locations within the host communities.

High temperatures in northeast Nigeria are conducive for catfish growth, and coupled with the trainees’ good practices, about 30 000 kg of fish were produced between 2019 and 2020 through five production cycles.

Fresh fish is sold at the market, or dried using an FAO-Thiaroye Technique (FTT) smoking kiln which is a safe and fuel-efficient way to process fish and reduce post-harvest losses.

The nutrient-rich water that is regularly changed from the tanks is used to irrigate vegetable gardens established by each of the participating groups. This approach ensures that the participants derive additional benefits from the water invested in for fish farming. The availability of water for irrigation means harvests from the vegetable gardens are year-round.

Changing lives for better nutrition, job creation and improved incomes

FAO’s aquaculture initiative is creating jobs for young men and women and opportunities for others along the fish value-chain. Around 200 direct decent jobs in aquaculture have already been created and around 100 more are expected in 2021. At the end of a six-month cycle, the intervention generated approximately Nigerian Naira (NGN) 382 500 (USD 1 062) per household, providing vital income to these vulnerable communities.

The integrated vegetable farming is also supplementing households’ incomes and nutritional needs. Some participants reported that at the peak of their harvest they were able to earn between NGN 8 000 and 12 000 per week (USD 21-31) from selling vegetables.

FAO has also incorporated Group Savings and Loan Associations training into the groups, enabling the farmers to harness their earnings for reinvestment and diversification into other livelihood activities.

With food insecurity and malnutrition being major challenges in northeast Nigeria, the aquaculture intervention has improved dietary diversity of participating households. With the fishing ban in Lake Chad, this initiative makes fish easily accessible within rural communities, increasing food options that are available to vulnerable households. Vegetable harvests have further enhanced households’ access to nutritious food.

A good practice for upscaling

The cluster approach employed by FAO, where groups work together and earnings and harvests are shared, encourages collective learning, participation and social cohesion.

The initiative has also mitigated security risks for vulnerable fisherfolk because they no longer need to go to Lake Chad for fishing.

Catfish farming using tanks, integrated with vegetable production, is a productive and efficient crop-aquaculture combination, especially in a country such as Nigeria where fish feed and fingerlings are locally available. This fish-crop farming system can be rapidly upscaled for increased food security and nutrition, incomes and a mutually beneficial integration of internally displaced persons in their host communities.

The initiative is part of a larger European Union Trust Fund programme to assist close to 100 000 households in Borno to restore their livelihoods in farming, livestock, fish production and agribusiness.

Related links

• http://www.fao.org/3/ca5223en/ca5223en.pdf
• http://www.fao.org/3/cb1550en/cb1550en.pdf