The fishing activity in the Cahora Bassa region has a considerable social impact, as it contributes to food security, employment, and income. It is estimated that fisheries are a source of employment for approx. 10,327 people living along the Cahora Bassa reservoir including 2,000 people in semi-industrial fisheries and the rest in artisanal fisheries. However, fishing communities have limited access to fishing equipment and inputs, very constricted access to markets and are not sufficiently empowered to participate in genuine co-management. There is limited market infrastructure, and the volume of trade is very small.
A major impediment to improve small-scale fisher’s incomes and their families’ well-being in the Cahora Bassa reservoir has been the lack of an energy source to conserve and aggregate fresh fish for a longer time and in larger amounts to deliver to small and big buyers. Opportunities to buffer the impact of fuel price fluctuations on small-scale fishing livelihoods mostly lie in the combination of energy efficiency measures and use of renewable energy solutions, especially in post-harvest activities. Existing technologies powered by renewable energy, such as solar cooling technologies, can highly benefit postharvest functions, allowing communities to generate employment and improve their living conditions through increased income and co-benefits, such as using surplus energy for charging phones, powering lamps, radio, television, small fridge, or filtering water for drinking.
Project: Renewable energy access for productive uses to small-scale fishing communities to develop the fish value chain in Magoè district in Mozambique
Country & region/location: Mozambique, Cazindira marketplace, Magoè district, Tete province
Category: Energy & Community
The project will provide a solar energy system and equipment to a fish marketplace built under another project called "Promotion of sustainable small-scale fisheries in Cahora-Bassa and Magoè Districts” promoted and funded by the European Union through the ECOFISH programme and implemented by ADPP Mozambique. The fish market consists of several areas from a reception area for pre-washing and weighing, gutting and cleaning, conservation room, freezing room, ice production room, office and sales area.
Aside from the equipment installation, to guarantee long-term success, the project will train the fishers in the efficient use of the equipment of the (community) solar-powered equipment and support the development of a sustainable business plan. It will also promote a business mindset among the fishers to ensure the financial feasibility of the investment. Given that the management of a fish market in terms of technical, operational, maintenance and selling area requires certain commercial aspects to ensure profitability, the fish cooperative will be managed as a commercial business. This means that the running of the marketplace will be performed with a “for-profit” approach, which will: (i) place the orders in accordance with market demand, a system that will help fishers to project more precisely the type/size of fish in demand; (ii) purchase fish from the fishers’ associations, allowing the prices to be announced in advance or defined in a narrower range upon product delivery; (iii) sell the products to prospective clients, who are likely to prioritize a responsible vendor (the fishers’ cooperative) rather than trying their chances elsewhere in the market; (iv) collect revenues to be used to finance marketing, to cover Operations & Management needs and ensure net profit, through the following streams: (a) rent of cold storage; (b) rent of deep freezer; (c) sale of ice; (d) rent of a stall at the sales area of the centre. The defined percentage of the profit will be distributed among the cooperative members, to improve their productivity, commitment and contribute to the overall sustainability of the business.
Expected results:
- Fully built fish market (integrated into the EU-supported project “Promotion of sustainable small-scale fisheries in Cahora-Bassa and Magoè Districts”), self-sufficient on electricity supply from solar power
- Increased post-harvesting capacities of fishers from the fishers’ associations in the District through the supply of a cooler room chiller, freezer, and ice machine for the fish marketplace
- Establishment of an ownership model for the fish marketplace, as a cooperative
- Fish cooperative management team trained in efficient use of solar power energy, in O&M of the PV electricity systems, and sustainable business management
- Revenues for the cooperative from the rent of cold storage and deep freezer, sale of ice, and rent of a stall at the sales area at the centre
- Increase fishermen’s income and increase their resilience to the impacts of climate change
- Local suppliers trained in solar technology O&M
- Local communities are aware of the potential of solar PV energy for electrification and productive use of fishing-related activities
