A Socio-Economic Analysis of the Fishery Co-operatives of Lake Victoria (Kenya).

Abstract

The fishery co-operatives of Lake Victoria have been presented in most literature negatively, both regarding their viability and as institutions for fishery management. Yet co-operatives are generally seen as the way forward towards uplifting the condition of fishermen. Despite this apparent contradiction, there has been little research on the fishery co-operatives. This study aimed to fill the information gaps and provide a knowledge basis for intervention in the cooperative institution. Its broad objective was to analyse, using socio-economic approaches, the structure, strategies and performance of the Lake Victoria co-operatives and propose their potential roles and conditions for involvement in co-management of the fishery. Data were collected in a broad study implemented in sequential stages and employing a variety of methods. They included questionnaire-based surveys; first, of 330 co-operative members, most of them Nile perch fishermen, second, of 83 ‘dagaa’ fishermen most who were nonmembers of co-operatives, and third, of 405 fishermen of different fish species in a separate ‘comanagement’ survey. Additional data came from unstructured and semi-structured interviews of the leaders of 15 co-operatives and in-depth studies of four co-operatives using participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis methods were applied, including; content analysis, principles analysis approach, stakeholders criteria analysis, PRA matrix and Venn diagram analyses; cross tabulations and correlation analysis. This thesis has described the characteristics and strategies of the Lake Victoria fishery cooperatives. It has proposed an approach - the stakeholders’ criteria - for evaluating co-operative performance. On the basis of the criteria, the factors affecting the performance of the cooperatives of Lake Victoria have been analysed. Three models in organizational theory have been used to explain further the performance factors. Suggested interventions included; reorganizing the co-operative structure, reinventing the co-operative reputation, providing education and training to co-operative members and leaders and re-defining the scope of relationships between co-operatives and other community organizations. Others were enhancing the savings capacity and restructuring the credit system, reviewing the co-operative legislation and policies, curbing gear theft and reviewing and enforcing the Fisheries Act. The study has suggested roles for co-operatives in co-management as; keeping fishing data, mobilising community funds, controlling fish marketing at the beach level, licensing fishermen, providing education and participating in the formulation of policies and regulations. Their successful participation would depend on a number of conditions, including; property rights in fishing re-defined, co-operatives’ rights in marketing legitimised, co-operatives be sufficiently robust, co-operatives be adequately mandated, co-operatives operate in collaborative structures, roles of all other partners clearly defined and other obstacles to co-management addressed.