Small Pelagic Fish Value Chain and Its Contribution to Local Food Security: A Case Study in &lt;em&gt;Gandara&lt;/em&gt; Fishing Village in Southern Coast of Sri Lanka

K K L Hasini,J Santos,W N De Silva

doi:10.4038/tar.v31i3.8397

Abstract

The small pelagic fishery has a critical importance both in terms of economic and food security concerns for coastal communities around the world. This study aimed at investigating the domestic fish value chain along with key economic agents, their roles and functions and to assess the contribution of the value chain to the local food security. In-depth interviews were conducted with at least five agents at each node of the value chain, and they were selected through stratified purposive and snowball sampling. Six different marketing channels were identified from fishers to consumers. Fishers are the primary producers. Local wholesalers played a conclusive role as the major middlemen, commission agents and moneylenders. Regional suppliers transported fish from landing sites to the wholesalers of other regional markets. The retail market consisted of mobile fish vendors and local retailers. Ninety-eight percent of the commercial catch reached the consumer, with only 2% waste or by-usage. Seventy percent of that commercial catch directly moved to the local consumers along three marketing channels. The prominent channel was “Fisher-Retailer-Consumer” (37%). This value chain had a significant contribution to local food security in terms of availability, accessibility, utilization and stability. The consumer price was affected by the number of intermediaries involved in the chain. Less number of intermediaries along the chain will improve the local food security while ensuring an affordable price for the consumers. Local consumers prefer fresh fish which hinders the desire of value creation in domestic value chains.

Highlights

A well-functioning value chain always ensures the availability of an adequate amount of safe and nutritious food
The small pelagic fish value chain was aligned across four key stages; production, wholesaling, retailing and consumption
The small pelagic fishery comprised of six prominent marketing channels

Summary

Introduction

A well-functioning value chain always ensures the availability of an adequate amount of safe and nutritious food Such a value chain significantly contributes to the food security of local vulnerable populations (Maestre et al, 2017). Southern coastal area is named as LK03 Southern coastal tourism and fishing zone Households in this coastal area mainly engage with fishing related livelihood activities (WFP and HARTI, 2015). According to Sri Lankan food security and resilience level mapping, Southern coastal zone is considered as an occasional food insecure zone. It implies that this southern coastal area is subjected to occasional climate-related hazards, resulting in livelihood disruptions and eventually rising food insecurity (WFP and HARTI, 2015)

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