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Small, silvery lake fish hang from elevated metal grids drying in the sun near the small fishing village of Mvugo in Burundi, on Lake Tanganyika. The drying racks are simple in design, but they make a huge contribution to local nutrition and the economy. Before an FAO project in 2004 introduced the drying racks, women dried Stolothrissa tanganyikae, a type of sardine known locally as ndagala, on the beach. Not only was this unhygienic, it also resulted in significant post-harvest losses due to long drying times and exposure to ground contaminants. The short-term project ended in 2005, but the local community has continued to use the newly acquired knowledge, building more elevated racks and increasing the area along the shore used for drying fish from one to five hectares. With rack-dried fish fetching more than twice the price of sand-dried fish, this new drying technology has significantly increased producers’ incomes and created new jobs. In addition, it has enabled producers to expand their markets and sell this nutritious fish to consumers in a wider area.
The amount of processed fish coming to market from the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika in southern Burundi has increased dramatically in recent years. Yet the increase in production has not put more pressure on the lake’s resources. In fact, the amount of fish taken from the lake has remained relatively stable. The reason: an extremely efficient and low-cost fish processing technology adopted by local fishing communities – drying racks one meter above the ground – means that the communities do not need to increase their fishing efforts to make up for post-harvest losses.
This rack system reduces drying time from three days to eight hours through air circulation, meaning producers can dry multiple batches of fish in a single day during peak season. It also keeps the fish away from insects, animals and ground-based contaminants, allowing the dryer to cover the fish during the rainy season and is much less labor-intensive.
This improved drying technique was introduced in 2004 during an 18-month FAO project, during which a small pilot centre was established near the fishing village of Mvugo. The centre provided training in drying rack techniques, introduced tools and distributed leaflets on how to build drying racks. The locals who received the training not only adopted the techniques enthusiastically, but also continued to spread their knowledge after the project ended. In 2004, an average of 500 women dried fish on the beach, but today, the number of Burundians directly involved in improved drying practices has reached 2,000, a 300 percent increase. It is estimated that more than 12,000 family members benefit from this income generation.
Increased production has also increased opportunities for dealers, who buy dried Ndagara fish and resell them throughout the country. In addition, small-scale industries have sprung up to provide materials and build fish racks. The small site built by the project has now become a pilot center for training and advisory services, sustainably managed by a local fisher-based organization.
National Nutrition and Consumer Safety
Being able to export dried fish to the interior of Burundi will also help improve the nutritional status and food safety of Burundian consumers. Fish dried on racks is certainly more hygienic than fish dried on the sand, and the taste and texture are much improved. From a food safety perspective, fish dried on racks is processed faster and more thoroughly than fish dried on the sand, and is therefore less susceptible to contamination and other types of spoilage.
But equally important is the nutrition that fish provides to the people of Burundi. According to the National Agricultural Investment Plan, Burundi suffers from a 60% protein deficiency. Due to a lack of infrastructure, access to fresh fish is almost impossible for inland consumers. However, thanks to improved drying methods, the nutritious, protein-rich Ndagara fish now has a longer shelf life and can be transported to inland markets.
Processing demographic changes
When the project started in 2004, almost all fishermen were men who sold their fish to sun-dryers, 80% of whom were women. Today, as drying fish has become a significantly more profitable economic activity, these figures have changed, with men now increasingly investing in the industry. It is estimated that men who own the larger drying racks now account for 30-40% of the business.
While improved methods have greatly boosted the region’s economy without placing further pressure on fish stocks, the fishing community recognises there is still room for improvement. This includes improvements such as developing better designed boxes to store the catch and introducing microcredit schemes to ensure women retain their place in the drying industry amid increased competition.
The drying racks along the lakeside show that the small investment of time and materials from FAO’s 18-month project continues to support these Burundian fishing villages nine years later.
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