ABSTRACT
This research work aimed at assessing how fish is handled after being harvested and how poor
handling can translate to losses in the selected study are of Namasale landing site on Lake Kyoga
in Amolatar district, Uganda. The study used as structured questionnaire to answer research
questions, and achieve the aims of the research
Chapter one includes the introduction of the study and the case study, why the research was
carried out, the objectives of the study, the research questions, aim of the study, significance of
the study and also the scope.
Chapter two includes the different literatures available under the study. It also includes a number
of valuable ideas that are put forward about the subject of the study.
Chapter three entails the approaches that were adopted to collect all the information that is
relevant and needed to accomplish the task of the study in order to achieve the goal of the
research through the predetermined objectives of the study.
Chapter four includes the information on what the researcher retrieved during the process of
carrying out data collection and here the observation and interview methods where used for data
collection at the study center.
Chapter five also includes the conclusion and recommendation on the fishermen, fish traders and
other relevant organization like the fisheries department in Amolatar and country wide can deal
better with the post-harvest handling issues of fish
Table of Contents
DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................ ii
APPROVAL ..................................................................................................................................iii
DEDICATION............................................................................................................................... iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.............................................................................................................. v
ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................... xi
CHAPTER ONE............................................................................................................................. 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................... 1
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT....................................................................................................... 3
1.3 GENERAL OBJECTIVES ....................................................................................................... 4
1.3.1SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE RESEARCH.................................................................. 4
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ...................................................................................................... 4
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE AND JUSTIFICATION............................................................................... 5
1.6 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY....................................................................................... 5
CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................ 6
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................... 6
2.1 Fish handling............................................................................................................................. 6
2.2 MAIN TYPES OF LOSSES IN FISH .................................................................................... 10
2.2.1 Physical loss......................................................................................................................... 10
2.2.2 Quality loss .......................................................................................................................... 11
2.2.3 Market force Post-harvest loss of fish ................................................................................. 12
2.3 FISH SUPPLY CHAIN IN UGANDA................................................................................... 12
2.4Processing of fish..................................................................................................................... 14
2.4.1 Traditional Processing methods........................................................................................... 14
2.4.2 Smoking ............................................................................................................................... 15
2.4.3 Improved Smoking Technology .......................................................................................... 15
2.4.4 Salting .................................................................................................................................. 15
2.4.5 Sun drying and salting ......................................................................................................... 16
CHAPTER THREE................................................................................................................... 17
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY..................................................................... 17
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Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 17
3.1.0 Scope and study area ........................................................................................................ 17
3.1.1 Population......................................................................................................................... 17
3.1.2 Economic activities.......................................................................................................... 18
3.1.3 Lake Kyoga Complex....................................................................................................... 18
3.2 Research design................................................................................................................... 18
3.3 Study population ................................................................................................................. 19
3.4 Sampling procedures........................................................................................................... 19
3.5 Data sources ........................................................................................................................ 19
3.6 Research instruments........................................................................................................... 19
3.6.1The questionnaire method ................................................................................................. 19
3.7 Validity and reliability of data ............................................................................................ 20
3.8 Data analysis ....................................................................................................................... 20
3.9 Ethical considerations ......................................................................................................... 20
3.10Challenges faced during the study ..................................................................................... 21
CHAPTER FOUR..................................................................................................................... 22
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ............................................................................................... 22
4.1.0 DEMOGRAPHIIC DETAILS ......................................................................................... 22
4.1.1Age of the fishermen and traders: ..................................................................................... 22
4.1.2 Level of education:........................................................................................................... 22
4.1.3 Occupation of the respondents:........................................................................................ 23
4.1.4 Number of years spent in the fish trade or fishing:.......................................................... 23
4.1.5 Marital status:................................................................................................................... 24
4.1.6 House hold size: ............................................................................................................... 25
4.2.0 Where fishing is done;...................................................................................................... 26
4.2.1 The major fish species caught in this area........................................................................ 26
4.3.3 Last time fishermen went fishing..................................................................................... 26
4.3.9 Quantity of Tilapia fish lost that day; .............................................................................. 28
4.3.10 Quantity of Nile Perch lost the last time of fishing;....................................................... 28
4.3.11 Quantity of Catfish lost on the last time of fishing: ....................................................... 28
4.3.12 Quantity of silverfish lost the last time of fishing.......................................................... 29
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4.3.13 Quantity of other varieties that was lost......................................................................... 29
4.3.14 Loss incurred that day in monetary terms...................................................................... 29
4.4.0 Transport of fish from the Landing site to the market ..................................................... 30
4.4.1 Proportion of fish load that got damaged for the previous day:....................................... 30
4.4.2 Cost of buying fish per piece or kilogram in Uganda shillings: ...................................... 31
4.4.3 Economics of trading in the different fish species. .......................................................... 32
4.4.5 Pieces of other varieties sold off at the end of the trading period.................................... 33
4.4.6 Selling price of fish. ......................................................................................................... 33
4.5.1 Causes of post-harvest loss in Tilapia fish species. ......................................................... 34
4.5.2 Causes of post-harvest loss in Nile perch......................................................................... 35
4.5.3 Causes of post-harvest losses in Catfish .......................................................................... 36
4.5.4 Causes of post-harvest losses in Silverfish ...................................................................... 36
4.5.5 Causes of post-losses in other fish varieties..................................................................... 37
4.6.1 Cost of fish damage.......................................................................................................... 37
4.6.2 Season in which highest and least losses are incurred. .................................................... 38
4.6.3 Whether fish is stored before taking to the market. ......................................................... 38
4.6.4 Storage time of processed fish before sending to the market........................................... 39
4.6.5 The stage at which most losses are incurred by fish traders ............................................ 39
4.6.6 The major causes of post-harvest fish loss in fish trade................................................... 40
4.6.7 What the fishing authority are doing to address the present challenge of poor post-harvest
handling of fish.......................................................................................................................... 40
4.6.7 How post-harvest losses of fish can be reduced in fish trade........................................... 41
CHAPTER FIVE....................................................................................................................... 43
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATION............................................................................. 43
5.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 43
5.1SUMMARY& CONCLUSION ........................................................................................... 43
5.2 RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................................... 44
REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................... 46
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Age of fish traders in Namasale landing sitte ...............................................................................22
Table 2: Household size..............................................................................................................................25
Table 3: Site of fishing................................................................................................................................26
Table 4: Fish species caught on Lake Kyoga..............................................................................................26
Table 5: Last time fishermen went fishing..................................................................................................27
Table 6: Quantity of Tilapia fish caught on last day of fishing ..................................................................27
Table 7: Quantity of Tilapia fish lost that day ............................................................................................28
Table 8: Quantity of Nile perch lost the last time they went fishing .........................................................28
Table 9: Quantity of Catfish was lost in kilograms......................................................................................29
Table 10: Quantity of silverfish lost the last time of fishing.......................................................................29
Table 11: Quantity of othre varieties that was lost .....................................................................................29
Table 12: Value in shiling lost that day in general .....................................................................................30
Table 13: The time for the fish to reach the market....................................................................................30
Table 14: The proportion of the lost the previous day of trade...................................................................31
Table 15: purchasing of different fish varieties per kilogram.....................................................................32
Table 16: Purchasing price of silver fish per basin.....................................................................................33
Table 17: Quantity of Silverfish sold at the end of the traing period..........................................................33
Table 18:Pieces of other varieties sold off at the end of the trading period................................................33
Table 19: Prices for which the different fish species were sold for............................................................34
Table 20: Causes of post harvest losses in Tilapia......................................................................................35
Table 21: Causes of post-harvest losses in Nile perch in percentage..........................................................35
Table 22: Causes of catfish loss..................................................................................................................36
Table 23: Cause of silverfish losses............................................................................................................36
Table 24: Causes of post-harvest losses in other fish varieties...................................................................37
Table 25: mean general cost of fish damages incurred...............................................................................37
Table 26: Season when the least and most post-harvest losses were incurred............................................38
Table 27: Response given about whether fish traders usually store their fish before taking to the market 38
Table 28: A storage time of processed fish before sending to the market ..................................................39
Table 29: The stage at which most losses are incurred by fish traders.......................................................39
Table 30: Respondent' view on major causes of post -harvest fish loss in fish trade .................................40
Table 31: Respondents view on what the fishing authority is doing to address the challenge of poor -poor
harvest handling..........................................................................................................................................41
Table 32: How post-harvest losses can be reduced in fish trade.................................................................42
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Uganda's Fish Supply Chain .......................................................................................................14
Figure 2: The respondents' level of education ............................................................................................23
Figure 3: Number of years spent in fish business.......................................................................................24
Figure 4: Marital status of fish traders........................................................................................................25
Figure 5: proportion of fish lost the prvious day of trade per kilogram / pieces in percentage ..................31
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