Description

Abstract: A survey of 55 fish farmers in Rwanda provided data to analyse the economics of fish production in a subsistence agricultural economy. Survey results demonstrated that fish are primarily a cash crop and secondarily a source of food for the family. Net cash returns to labour per 100 m2 varied from FRW 510 at high altitudes to FRW 1308 at low altitudes and represented approximately 7% and 29%, respectively, of average annual income on high- and low-altitude farms. Labour was the primary resource utilized in fish farming and yielded cash returns that

were competitive with daily wage rates even though realistic employment opportunities were scarce. Income from fish farming represented a significant proportion of total cash income in addition to its food value for the household.