A Lost Opportunity in Uganda’s Fishing Communities
In the bustling fishing communities around Lake Victoria, a plea resonates from a fish expert, urging dealers to reconsider their approach to silverfish, locally known as mukene. Despite being a cost-effective and highly nutritious food source, mukene often finds itself diverted to animal feed, a practice deemed unfortunate by experts.
The fish expert emphasizes that mukene, a rapidly proliferating small fish species in Lake Victoria, deserves professional handling and packaging as human food rather than being relegated to animal consumption. Mukene, with its rich nutritional profile, could be a solution to micronutrient deficiencies, especially among women of childbearing age and children under five, offering essential elements such as iron, zinc, calcium, vitamins, and crucial fatty acids like omega-3 and 6.
Remarkably, the local value of a 100kg packet of mukene stands at sh3,000, but once it reaches the international market in Europe or the US, its value skyrockets to $10 (sh36,000), underscoring its untapped potential for economic growth.
Dr. Anthony Munyaho Tabu, the executive secretary of the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO), asserts that the prevailing mindset has led to the mishandling of mukene, emphasizing its suitability as human consumption. He notes that efforts are underway to explore market values, conduct studies, and educate communities on proper mukene handling for human consumption.
A significant initiative led by LVFO, in collaboration with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), aims to educate and sensitize fish handlers around Lake Victoria on best practices for mukene handling and marketing it as human food. The project, backed by $1.5 million from IFAD, focuses on improving mukene harvesting, adopting environmentally friendly energy systems, and enhancing the value chain through technology and suitable equipment.
Dr. Tabu reveals that an annual stock assessment estimates the harvest of mukene from Lake Victoria to be between 900,000 and one million tons. Unfortunately, some fishermen resort to using mukene as bait, overlooking its rich nutrient content and potential as a primary food source.
The IFAD project, with its three main components, seeks to revolutionize mukene processing. It includes improving harvesting methods, transitioning to eco-friendly energy sources, and empowering women groups in packaging. Training communities on technology adoption and providing suitable equipment are crucial steps in this initiative.
As the project unfolds, it aims to strengthen women groups in packaging, benefiting thousands of women, youth, and men involved in fisheries. The private sector’s potential adoption of the equipment highlights the sustainability and viability of this transformative endeavor.
In closing, Willy Osinde Ofwono, Principal of the Fisheries Training Institute Entebbe, acknowledges the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) for curbing illegal fishing, a practice that had significantly depleted the lakes due to the use of inadequate fishing gear.
