Value chain considerations of culture based fisheries in Sri Lankan reservoirs

Abstract

Sri Lanka’s culture-based fisheries (CBF) provide significant livelihoods and food security for villagers in proximity to the country’s dense network of reservoirs. In this paper, we summarise the value chain findings of ACIAR project FIS/2018/157, comparing these findings to that of other countries and fisheries, and identifying how these project findings can be applied for the enhancement of Sri Lankan CBF.We describe 3 types of finfish and giant freshwater prawn (GFP) domestic value chains, depending on whether products are consumed locally or in urban areas, and the number of agents in the chain. We also describe 2 types of GFP export value chains – one where export companies are not involved in activities along the value chain, and the second where export companies partner with reservoir fishery organisations to stock, cultivate, harvest and market their products. We show that CBF are profitable, with low risk to fishers. Price received by GFP fishers are lower when export companies are involved in all aspects of the marketing chain than when they are not, but these companies bear a significant burden of the costs such that the profitability of fishers is similar for both types of value chains. However, where export companies are involved throughout the chain, they bear most of the risk. The division of labour within the value chains of CBF is traditional, with men performing physically intense and skill-requiring activities, females assisting in less demanding tasks and children providing occasional support. Providing training for various members of the value chains, especially to convert informal activities into commercial economic activities, is likely to enhance economic and social benefits within fishing households, as well as within the fisheries sector.We present a SWOT analysis of Sri Lankan CBF, considering all aspects of the value chain. Many of the weaknesses and threats are common across similar fisheries in other countries, such as poor availability and supply of seed stock, poor harvesting technologies, lack of common GFP grading methods at landing sites, poor storage and transportation facilities, asymmetries in price transmission along the chain, poor access to bank loans and governance issues. However, Sri Lanka has advantages that are not experienced in other countries, such as the profitability of the fishing enterprise due to low costs and low risks, and the established export market for GFP.There are significant opportunities for improving the efficiency of production, institutions and markets of GFP and finfish CBF value chains in Sri Lanka. To exploit opportunities and transform activities throughout the value chain, we recommend Sri Lanka develops a comprehensive sector-wide strategy, with extensive consultation and buy-in from all stakeholders, that includes a vision, strategic objectives, implementation plan, resourcing strategy, and monitoring and evaluation plan.