Zambian women step into the forefront of tilapia farming, with one cooperative harvesting 1,279 kg in 2025

In Zambia, tilapia is the most widely farmed fish in the country and has long been a pillar of food security and livelihoods. Now, women are stepping into the forefront of this industry, challenging traditional gender roles. Zambia's aquaculture sector has historically been male-dominated, and women often faced barriers to entry, but in recent years women have taken on an increasing share of responsibilities in the industry, covering pond construction and management, fingerling preparation and stocking, sale of adult fish, and accounting.

This shift is particularly evident in the Mpulungu district of northern Zambia, where women now make up 44% of small-scale tilapia farmers.

The Sianyongo Fish Farming Cooperative (SFFC), located in Nyawa Chiefdom in Kazungula District, Zambia, is a microcosm of this transformation. Supported by the EU-funded Sustainable Wildlife Management Programme (SWM Programme), the cooperative has been exploring an inclusive aquaculture model since 2022. The project started with two tilapia ponds, and two more were added in 2023. By 2025, the total harvest from all ponds reached 1,279 kg (2,819 lb), providing the community with a stable source of protein and enhancing food security. The cooperative has also created a vibrant local economy while promoting ecological sustainability—by offering a viable alternative to bushmeat, it has reduced pressure on local wildlife, which often comes from illegal hunting.

Women play a central role in this process, transforming from fish farmers into entrepreneurs, community leaders and advocates for development. Andreas Muhwanga, Communications Assistant at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) Zambia, told Advocate that one of the most important aspects of the SWM Programme is integrating livelihood development with conservation goals; as a partner in the programme, they help develop evidence-based solutions that improve food security while protecting ecosystems, and supporting sustainable fish farming enables communities to improve nutrition and incomes while reducing pressure on wildlife resources, with greater participation by women making these interventions more impactful at the household and community levels.

Tilapia farmer Beatrice Dobe embodies these impacts. She said she joined the SFFC because she saw the benefits the cooperative brings: after joining, she had the opportunity to increase household income, provide nutritious food for her family, and save for her children's school fees. She said women locally are mainly responsible for ensuring food supply for the family, especially the children, and this responsibility has prompted many women to join; she also thanked the EU and the SWM Programme for bringing this opportunity to the community.

At the SFFC, gender equality is not just an idea but a practical strategy. Women participate in every stage of production, from feeding and monitoring the fish to managing ponds, weighing and selling adult fish, and ensuring water quality. Dobe also plays a key role in promoting group unity, helping mediate conflicts, and encouraging other women to participate and benefit. She said the cooperative teaches everyone to work together as men and women, learning how to build ponds, feed fish, use different types of feed and master appropriate feeding times, as well as monitor water quality and determine when water needs to be changed to keep the fish healthy; members regularly check fish growth and overall health, ensure adequate feed, prevent predation by birds and other predators, and take turns guarding the ponds every day. She said that by supporting one another and respecting everyone's opinions, the cooperative can make better collective decisions that benefit the whole cooperative.

The SFFC's approach shows that empowerment and skills development can translate into tangible results. Women gain not only knowledge of production, marketing and pricing, but also confidence, independence and a sense of purpose. Dobe stressed that mutual support is the key to success: the cooperative meets regularly, members encourage and support one another, conflicts are addressed immediately, everyone's voice is listened to carefully, and agreement is reached on common goals; this mutual respect helps the cooperative run efficiently and keeps women united as a group and as a cooperative.

The cooperative also benefits from good partnerships with men in the community, who respect women's contributions, including in physically demanding tasks such as pond construction. By establishing bylaws to prevent intimidation and ensure inclusion, the cooperative fosters a culture of equality and collaboration.

Dobe hopes to see more women join the programme and hopes more ponds will be built to further strengthen food security and household incomes. She said today's world is full of challenges, and women must unite, work hard and support one another to overcome them; through cooperation, learning and perseverance, they can continue to grow as farmers, leaders and community members. Her message to other women is: unite with us, unity is strength, and it brings support, opportunity and the power to achieve goals.

The United Nations has declared 2026 the International Year of Women Farmers (IYWF 2026), a year that will focus on the critical but often overlooked role women play across agrifood systems, from production to trade. Women farmers are central to food security, nutrition and economic resilience, and the International Year of Women Farmers will raise awareness and drive action to close the gender gap and improve the livelihoods of women worldwide.