Can Better Fish Processing Improve Diets Without Undermining Local Nutrition?
Anchovy, locally known as dagaa, sits at the heart of Zanzibar’s fisheries, diets and livelihoods. These small fish are rich in essential micronutrients and widely consumed across the archipelago, making them a vital source of affordable nutrition, particularly for low-income households. At the same time, dagaa is increasingly important for trade, supplying regional markets beyond Zanzibar and contributing to regional food systems and economic growth. This dual role raises a critical question: can efforts to improve fish processing and expand markets boost incomes without reducing equitable access to this nutritious food for the communities who depend on it most?
Today, the dagaa value chain faces major post-harvest losses in both quantity and nutritional quality. Losses occur at multiple stages from landing and handling to processing and marketing—and are intensified by strong seasonal fluctuations in catch volumes. In some periods, more than half of the catch can be lost. These losses disproportionately affect small-scale actors, especially women processors and traders, whose livelihoods depend on preserving and selling fish under challenging conditions. To cope, processors rely largely on traditional methods such as blanching followed by sun-drying and frying. While these practices extend shelf life, their effectiveness varies, and their implications for nutrition, markets and local consumption remain poorly understood.
Market demand strongly influences how dagaa is processed. Processors adapt their methods to meet the needs of different buyers, creating a feedback loop in which consumer preferences and price incentives shape processing practices. Yet most existing technologies focus on reducing physical losses, with far less attention to nutrient retention or equitable access. Limited drying infrastructure especially during the rainy season means fish are often dried directly on the ground without protective covering, increasing the risk of contamination, pest damage and nutrient loss. These constraints limit the ability of small-scale processors to access higher-value markets and benefit from improved technologies.
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