Mini Fish Farm in Ndombo

Country:

Site: Ndombo Sandjiry village, Dagana department, St, Louis region

Project
Timeline

2019

- 2020

Primary sector

project cost

3,900,000frs CFA

($6,717)

People impacted

1,000 Directly

770 Indirectly

UN Sustainable Development goals

Project Overview

The mini fish farm project has long been a need for the community of Ndombo. A significant amount of the village’s wealth comes from Lake Taouey, a branch of the Senegal River. Before the construction of the Diama salt dam, women would use this river to fish with their bare hands, where fish bites would cause exposure to tropical diseases. Since the dam’s construction, Ndombo’s 30 female fish sellers go to St. Louis at 5 a.m., (105 km from Ndombo) to stock up on fish. They return to the community market around 9 a.m., and then those who market dried fish return to Thiago in the blazing evening heat. The establishment of a fish farm run by the women of Ndombo Sandjiry at Lake Taouey would greatly decrease the time spent collecting and selling fish as well as provide a plentiful source of the desired freshwater tilapia. Not only does fish farming provide food security and income for women, but it eradicates cases of fishing-related accidents.

To ensure sustainability, women have organized themselves into the operating and marketing commissions which will be responsible for studying the fry (baby fish), deciding how much will be sold, and transporting the fish to market. In five years, fish production could satisfy food security throughout the village and the profits the women receive from sales will be used to increase the number of floating cages. Each fish seller can sell 5 to 10 kilograms per day, for a total of around 300 kg. The goal is to supply the local market with 10 to 40 floating cages in 20 years. Additionally, women are considering delivering fresh fish to expand profit margins and reduce losses. Finally, the women plan to buy a car in the next 5 years to expand sales to major cities nearby.

Project Highlights

  • After six months of cultivation, the 10,000 fry across five cages will reach a total of 2,500 kg. These will be sold at 1,000 CFA francs per kilo for women of the GIE (the woman’s community organisation of Ndombo) and 1,500 CFA francs for resellers who are not members of the GIE.

  • The average expected six month turnover is therefore 2,500,000 CFA francs. The project is a success if the production of the five cages reaches 10,000 fish after a six-month crop.

  • Throughout the foreseeable future, the women of Ndombo will continue to provide fish to their community, ensuring food security and safe fishing practices.

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