Analysis of Critical Factors Influencing Performance of Fish Farmer Organisations in Dowa and Mchinji District in Central Malawi

This study is being carried out to determine critical factors that affect performance of fish farmer organisations in Malawi as part of the RUFORUM Community Action Research programme (CARP). Five fish farmer organisations with a total of 70 farmers in Mchinji and Dowa districts in the Central Region of Malawi are being used as case studies. Specific issues that are being studied include organisational set up and development, characterisation of the organisations, organisational structure and systems and socioeconomic characteristics and profiles of members within the organisations. Preliminary results showed that the fish farmer organisations have loose governance structures and systems which inevitably could ‘defeat’ collective action. It was also noted that the organisations did not have institutional design principles that act as guide for organisations to achieve intended outcomes. Results also showed that income generation, household food security and access to credit facilities were major motivating factors that acted as incentives for becoming members of fish farmer organisations. This implies that members had various expected benefits from the organisations which if not fulfilled may have significant negative influence on performance of the organisations. Achievement of such benefits could come to realisation if farmer organisations are empowered to undertake sustainable collective action.