More than a Fish Farmer: what recognition means for women in Bihar's aquaculture sector. Esther mweru. 07 Aug 2026 4 minutes read In many communities in Bihar, eastern India, social norms have traditionally associated fish farming, pond management and fish marketing with men, creating barriers to women's participation in the sector. That reality is beginning to shift. Between 2023 and 2024, WorldFish partnered with JEEViKA, the Government of Bihar's rural livelihoods program, to implement the Aquaculture Women's Empowerment Project. Working with 112 women's groups, each comprising around 10 members and collectively managing 118 community fishponds, the pilot expanded women's opportunities to engage in aquaculture through access to community ponds, technical training and Fish Farmer Producer Groups. It also supported pond rehabilitation, strengthened market linkages and promoted nutrition-sensitive fish production. Alongside these activities, the project used gender-transformative approaches such as Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS), Forum Theatre and community engagement to strengthen women's leadership, decision-making and control over productive resources. As women navigated these new opportunities, an important lesson emerged: empowerment is about much more than learning how to farm fish. For many women, participation in aquaculture became closely linked to something they valued deeply: the opportunity to contribute to decisions that affected their lives, to have their voices heard, and to build an identity in a sector where women have historically had limited visibility. Speaking during discussions with women participating in the project, one participant reflected on the confidence that had emerged through the experience: "Earlier we were fearful, but now that we are empowered we feel we can fight." Finding a voice. The project combined technical aquaculture training with activities designed to encourage reflection on gender roles, decision-making and shared responsibilities within households and communities. Women and their families explored questions about who makes decisions, who controls resources and who is expected to take on different types of work. These conversations created space for women to discuss their aspirations, responsibilities and experiences. They also encouraged greater reflection on how decisions are made within households. For some women, the experience contributed to a growing sense of confidence and agency. Others spoke about the importance of being able to express their views, contribute ideas and participate more actively in discussions affecting their households and livelihoods. While new opportunities emerged, many of these barriers women faced remained. Women continued to navigate social norms that shape expectations around their roles and responsibilities. Participation in aquaculture did not automatically remove these barriers, and many continued to balance household responsibilities alongside their new roles in fish farming. Despite these challenges, many women remained committed to aquaculture and continued supporting one another through their self-help groups. The importance of solidarity emerged strongly during discussions with participants. As one woman explained: "I feel I am not alone. I know these women are with me to support me." More than access. While access to fishponds and technical training opened new possibilities, the project showed that recognition as aquaculture farmers was also central to women's empowerment. Recognition for their contributions. Recognition as fish farmers in their own right. Recognition that women can participate in and contribute to a sector long associated with men. Their experiences offer an important reminder that empowerment is not only about access to resources or economic opportunities. It is also about changing the social norms that determine who is recognized, who participates and who has a voice in decision-making. Reflecting on the project's broader lessons, Rahma Adam, Social & Economic Inclusion Impact Lead and Interim Kenya Country Representative at WorldFish, said: "Recognition is fundamental because women cannot fully benefit from new opportunities if their knowledge, contributions and leadership remain invisible. Access to ponds, training and markets creates opportunities, but lasting empowerment happens when women are recognized as legitimate aquaculture farmers, respected decision-makers and valued contributors within their households, communities and the sector. It also helps strengthen women's confidence and influence how others perceive their contributions, creating the enabling environment needed for meaningful and sustained participation." As women continue to contribute to aquaculture, the project highlights the importance of creating opportunities that expand not only women's access to livelihoods but also their recognition and decision-making power. This blog draws on insights from a forthcoming WorldFish case study examining women's experiences of empowerment through the project's gender interventions. The study uses a social justice analytic framework to explore these experiences through the dimensions of access, recognition and decision-making. Cover photo: Bihar, India. Photo: WorldFish.

Fermentation could help make fish feed safer and more nutritious. 04 Aug 2026 3 minutes read The global demand for aquatic foods is increasing, placing pressure on traditional feed resources and driving the search for sustainable alternatives. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where aquaculture can contribute to food security and economic growth, the challenge of developing cost-effective and nutritious fish feed remains important. Against this backdrop, research conducted by scientists at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) in Nairobi, Kenya, under the Development and Scaling of Sustainable Feeds for Resilient Aquatic Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (FASA) project led by WorldFish, is shedding new light on a promising solution: microbial fermentation. Early findings suggest that fermentation could enhance the nutritional quality and safety of selected feed ingredients by increasing key nutrients, such as protein, while reducing anti-nutritional compounds that can limit nutrient absorption. If confirmed through the final publication, the research could provide valuable insights for developing more sustainable fish feeds across the region. Exploring the potential of fermentation. The forthcoming study examined different fermentation methods applied to 12 commonly used feed ingredients, including plant-based proteins, insect meals, and fish meal. While these ingredients are widely used in aquaculture feeds, some contain naturally occurring anti-nutritional factors that may affect nutrient utilization and fish performance. Preliminary results indicate that a combined fermentation process involving Lactobacillus plantarum, a beneficial bacterium, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a commonly used yeast, may offer particularly encouraging outcomes. Researchers observed improvements in protein quality and in vitro digestibility among several of the tested ingredients. Early indications of improved feed safety and efficiency. Initial analyses also suggest that fermentation may help reduce anti-nutritional factors found in certain feed ingredients. These compounds can interfere with nutrient uptake and affect the efficiency of feed utilization. Researchers additionally observed signs that the fermentation process could enhance the microbial safety of feed ingredients. Preliminary assessments indicate that the fermented samples met accepted safety benchmarks, highlighting the potential of fermentation as a tool for improving feed quality while reducing risks associated with feed contamination. Supporting sustainable aquaculture development. The research comes at a time when the aquaculture sector is actively seeking alternative protein sources to reduce dependence on increasingly constrained resources such as wild-caught fish. Plant-based ingredients and insect meals offer promising alternatives, but their nutritional limitations can present challenges. Early findings from the upcoming study suggest that microbial fermentation could help unlock the nutritional potential of these alternative ingredients, making them more suitable for aquaculture feeds. If validated through further research and publication, this approach could contribute to improved feed performance, improved fish health and production, and more resilient aquatic food systems. Advancing innovation through partnership. The collaboration between ICIPE and WorldFish demonstrates the value of research partnerships in addressing practical challenges facing aquaculture producers. Through the FASA project, researchers are exploring innovations that could help improve feed quality, strengthen fish production systems, and support sustainable aquaculture growth across Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings will add to growing evidence on how microbial fermentation could support the development of safer, more nutritious and sustainable fish feeds Cover image: Research under the FASA project is exploring how microbial fermentation could improve the nutritional quality and safety of locally available fish feed ingredients in Sub-Saharan Africa. Photo: WorldFish

Laying the foundation for climate-resilient aquaculture in Zambia. 27 Jul 2026 5 minutes read Aquaculture is an important part of Zambia's national strategy to improve food security, alleviate rural poverty, and build a sustainable blue economy. Zambia's smallholder farmers, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) remain a growing part of the sector, helping close the country's affordable animal protein deficit, even as they continue to face constraints in accessing finance, quality inputs and markets. As climate change makes pond conditions increasingly variable and difficult to predict, visual observation and experience alone may no longer be sufficient. Rising temperatures, shifting seasonal boundaries and unexpected microclimatic changes can quickly alter the delicate physical and chemical balance of fishponds. Sudden drops in dissolved oxygen or rapid increases in water temperature can devastate an entire harvest overnight. Zambia's aquaculture sector, therefore, needs a proactive, data-informed climate risk management system that combines farmers' local knowledge with timely weather, water-quality and disease information. WorldFish and its partners are now piloting a new layer of that system: pond-level real-time water quality monitoring using IoT (Internet of Things). Enhancing Blue Resilience with IoT. This pilot advances the Blue Resilience - digital climate advisory services platform by strengthening its capacity to deliver more precise climate services for aquaculture decision-making. Co-designed by WorldFish with the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment and the Department of Fisheries, Blue Resilience currently translates ambient temperature forecasts from the Zambia Meteorological Department (MET) into practical climate-smart SMS advisories for smallholder farmers. While these forecasts provide valuable guidance, they can only estimate likely pond conditions and cannot capture the real-time dynamics within ponds. To address this gap, WorldFish, through the CGIAR Climate Action Science Program's Area of Work 2 on Digital Advisories and Climate Risk Management, is piloting IoT-enabled water-quality monitoring in partnership with Biogreen Technologies. By integrating real-time pond-level water quality data with climate forecasts, the pilot aims to deliver more accurate, timely, and context-specific advisories. Over time, this could help farmers to make better informed management decisions, reduce climate-related risks, and improve the productivity and resilience of aquaculture systems. Building local capacity for water quality monitoring. WorldFish recently deployed IoT sensor arrays that continuously collect water -quality data at two contrasting sites: an SME fish farm in Shimabala, Kafue District, Lusaka Province, and the National Aquaculture Research and Development Centre (NARDC) in Mwekera, Kitwe, Copperbelt Province. The two sites were selected because they represent different aquaculture production systems, an SME operation and a government research and demonstration facility, allowing the team to compare pond behavior and validate sensor performance across different management conditions. A dedicated hands-on training session was conducted for both SME and NARDC technical staff to build their capacity in operating and maintaining the IoT water-quality monitoring system. The training covered sensor installation, device configuration, data transmission and dashboard use, routine equipment inspections, basic troubleshooting, and preventive maintenance. By strengthening local technical capacity, the training helps ensure reliable system performance, supports timely interpretation of real-time water-quality data, and lays the foundation for the long-term sustainability and scalability of IoT-enabled climate advisory services for precision aquaculture management. Integrating weather forecasts with real-time pond intelligence. Rather than replacing farmers' knowledge or the existing weather-based advisories, the sensors are designed to complement them. While atmospheric forecasts provide broader signals about incoming weather systems and ambient temperature trends, the IoT sensors continuously capture real-time changes in water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity within the pond itself. Together, these complementary data streams provide a fuller picture of pond health and a stronger foundation for delivering more precise climate advisories. "This vital information is exactly what is needed to help us alleviate production losses and make better-informed decisions and also address instances of unexplained mortalities," said the SME fish farmer. The integrated Blue Resilience approach combines: * Meteorological forecasts from the Zambia Meteorological Department, providing predictive information on weather patterns and ambient temperature trends. * Real-time IoT pond monitoring, measuring water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity directly within the pond. These data streams are brought together through the Blue Resilience platform to generate increasingly accurate, hyper-local climate advisories for fish farmers. From monitoring to actionable advisories. The project is currently in a baseline data collection and analysis phase. Over the coming months, the sensors will continuously collect detailed information on localized changes in water quality, which will be analyzed alongside meteorological data from the Zambia Meteorological Department to refine the predictive algorithms that underpin Blue Resilience. As the calibration phase progresses, WorldFish and its partners, including NARDC, will assess how this pond-level data can best reach farmers - whether through more precise SMS advisories, threshold-based alerts, improved predictive models, or dashboards for extension officers and researchers. The goal is to move from estimated prediction models toward hyper-local, multi-parameter climate advisories that give farmers advance warning to adjust aeration, feeding practices, or water replenishment before changing pond conditions lead to fish mortality. Anticipated impact: Climate Risk Management in aquaculture. If successful, Integrating IoT water monitoring alongside meteorological information could significantly strengthen climate resilience within Zambia's aquaculture sector. More precise, synchronized air-and-water monitoring could enable farmers to respond proactively to sudden changes in dissolved oxygen or extreme water temperatures before fish losses occur, for example, by reducing feeding rates, increasing aeration, checking water exchange, or preparing for heat-related oxygen stress ahead of a forecast heatwave. Improved pond-side temperature information could also help farmers optimize feeding practices, an important benefit given that feed accounts for up to 70 percent of fish production costs and remains one of the largest investments in aquaculture production. At the same time, integrating continuous monitoring data with national research institutions such as NARDC could strengthen local scientific capacity by generating the high-resolution datasets needed to support climate adaptation research, innovation, and evidence-based decision-making across the country. Looking forward. Zambia's digital transition in aquaculture is still at an early stage, but it is already underway. By combining national atmospheric forecasts with real-time pond monitoring, WorldFish is working to expand the capabilities of Blue Resilience to deliver increasingly accurate, locally relevant, and actionable climate advisories. This integrated approach, grounded in both farmers' knowledge and continuous data, aims to help farmers anticipate climate risks, protect their harvests, and build a more productive, resilient, and sustainable aquaculture sector. Cover photo: Ponds at the National Aquaculture Research and Development Centre in Kitwe, one of two sites where WorldFish and its partners are testing real-time water-quality monitoring to support more precise climate advisories for fish farmers. Photo: WorldFish.