GFRAS-YPARD Competition “Coping with COVID-19: Stories from the Field”
This story won the 2nd Place in the Youth Category in Malawi
Clement Musipiwa
Fish is a reliable source of animal protein in Malawi. They provide an estimated 28% of the country’s animal protein supply and are critical for nutrition and food security.
The country is blessed with many lakes and rivers that provide fishing grounds for both local people
and major industries. This makes fish readily available and affordable in most places. On top of that there are also several small scale farmers who practice fish farming mostly in wetlands of their communities to supplement available demand. This helps in provision of income and food to these farmers as there is big market for fish both in rural and urban areas.
Similar to many sectors, aquaculture in Malawi has been heavily affected by COVID-19. Due to the coming of the pandemic, the government imposed some restrictions that have affect fish business and farming in the country. Many business persons who sell fish now cannot do their businesses as usual owing to high travelling costs hence public transport owners are prohibited from carrying to full capacity.
