Improving fish smoking technology

I am currently working on this project as my PhD, with focus on improving fish processing technology in Nigeria. Fish is a very important cultural food in Nigeria. Raised in the coastal region of Nigeria, I have firsthand experience of the importance of fish in the Nigerian diet and the developing aquaculture industry which supports this need. I manage a local fish farm and have over 9 years of work experience in this sector. My farm produces catfish, processes (smokes) and sells both within and outside Nigeria. Through Women in Aquaculture (WiA) forum hosted by The Fish Site (https://thefishsite.com/), I have mentored women in different countries who are joining or coming back to aquaculture (fish farming) sector. I have also written about issues related to Nigerian aquaculture and fishery sustainability, research, technological advancements, adaptation and resilience as a freelance-writer for The World Fishing and Aquaculture and Hatch Blue, Uk.

Nigeria, like many countries in Africa, suffers from high rates of poverty and hunger, and relies heavily on imported foods. Fish is important to the Nigerian diet, and there is a developing aquaculture industry to support this need. Nigeria uses traditional smoking to preserve, because of the absent of cold chain and poor-electricity. 90% of fish are cured this way, and it's also a major source of livelihood for women and girls in coastal towns. The process takes days to complete, and during this time, the processors are exposed to smoke containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs). These pollutants trigger cancer, damage the human respiratory system and leaves residual tar particles on the finished product, affecting both the quality, taste and not healthy for consumers. My project will use haloheat to improve fish processing technology that will help improve the working conditions for women and improve the quality of finished product.

I am working to change the technology used in Nigeria for fish smoking. In the Niger Delta coastal region of Nigeria, more than 60% of women work in fish processing (fully or partly) and a majority have health issues as a direct result of the smoking process. I myself, have vision problems from being around the smoke, and my grandmother died of lung cancer due to the residual PAHs in the smoke.

My desire is to promote the use of improved smoking technology in the coastal regions of Nigeria for the safety of the women workers. The improved technology would prevent processors from being exposed to smoke. This will improve their livelihood by making them more comfortable during their work, and decrease the stress associated with smoking of fish. Higher quality products will also improve their income generation, and standard of living. At the same, enhancing the quality of the finished product will improve the nutritional health, especially for local children and the elderly. Smoked fish is commonly used to prepare Nigerian/African delicacies, and people consume a lot of it on a regular basis. Moreover, smoke-free products will give them opportunities to also access foreign markets, such as EU etc.

I have been working in the aquaculture sector as both a fish farmer and processor for more than nine years since I graduated from college. I, along with the other processors in our state, use the same antiquated methods as my grandmother did. To improve my industry, I am studying for my PhD at University of Massachusetts Boston, to improve fish processing technologies that will help improve the working conditions of processors, especially women in my home country. I will determine the steps necessary for adoption of the halo heat technology system via technology transfer, capacity building, and peer-to-peer training. The halo technology has the advantages of being more energy efficient, has no smoke or heat emissions (processor safety), is faster and easier to use, leaves no PAH residue on fish, and can increase profitability for processors. This stove provides a high quality end product that is better for both the local and international markets because of no PAHs. 

This project, is to help women-processors in the Niger-Delta improve their working lifestyle,  health and safety of their products. I am a processor, and understand the pain of this unsafe technology. Fish smoking is one of the most dangerous occupations in Nigeria. The existing technologies use huge quantities of expensive fuel to smoke small amounts of fish. The process takes days to complete, and during this time, the processors are exposed to smoke containing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs). These pollutants trigger cancer, can damage the human respiratory system, causes injuries/scars and affects the eye retina. The smoke leaves residual tar particles on the finished product, affecting both the quality and taste of the fish, thereby making the product much more difficult to sell, and export to the EU. I have already started the project as part of my PhD program and directly involving the processors in every stage of the research to ensure this new technology is adopted throughout the Niger Delta. Upon completing my degree, I will return home to continue with the processors, and also extend my outreach beyond the fish farms to local schools where I will mentor young women who wish to become involved in Aquaculture/processing.

My project falls within “elevating opportunities for all people, especially those who are traditionally left behind”. Majority of fish smokers in Nigeria are women. Most of the time we work under deteriorated conditions, not only because of Nigeria’s current social and economic decline, but also of historical practices of gender inequality that exist in the country. Fewer resources are traditionally allocated to women than to men. Structural adjustment policies pursued by government have had important gender consequences. Macroeconomic policies do not incorporate gender perspectives in their design and ignore the social relations that influence women's roles in production. 

I lived with my grandmother from the age of 5 and her major occupation was fishing and smoking the fish. I loved her so much and always joined her to capture fish,which I looked forward to. We always smoked the fish immediately we returned home. This was the only preservative method we knew as I never had electricity until I was 18. However, I detested the smoking, because each time, I either got burnt or had tears coming out from my eyes, and was later diagnosed with retinal degeneration due to the smoke. At 10years, my grandmother became sick and was diagnosed of lung cancer and she never survived it, as she died two days to my 12th birthday. I was so devastated.

After my bachelor’s degree, I followed my passion and went back to fish farming and processing. But I never wanted to follow exactly the same path my grandmother followed. In 2015, I embarked on a Masters degree-programmer on Sustainable Aquaculture, to acquire more advanced knowledge, during which I discovered the implications of our current preservation practices and vowed to make a difference, not just for myself but for others, in honor of my grandmother, who died in-vain.

I grew up in the Niger Delta coastal-region with my grandmother who was a fisher-person, and fish-smoker. I lost her because of poor health directly from the smoking process. But I have still been passionate about this industry, because it offers a significant way forward to meet the food security needs of countless poor people, and is a major source of income and opportunity for women. My grandmother was very generous and selfless, and each time I do this work, I see my grandmother in me. I see her being so proud of me. I am so passionate about this and want young women to be successfully employed and live long. In 2015, I was awarded a full scholarship for my Masters degree on Sustainable Aquaculture at University of St Andrews, UK. I also established a macajo (Catfish)farm, and used this as an avenue to reach out to vulnerable women in my locality. Many women want decent employment, but limited because of gender biases. I have encouraged and employed women to work with me, and in 2018, I was lauded as “flying the flag for Nigerian-catfish” in the article  published in The Fish Site and Commonwealth Scholarship Commission Website-https://thefishsite.com/articl...

I am passionately committed to the industry and always eager to learn further to enhance my skill, in order to make a change. I want to offer the best to the industry. I have over nine years of experience working as both a fish farmer and processor. I have voluntarily mentored people both across and outside Nigeria and most of my mentees are doing well in their new found career in aquaculture.

I have maintained a straight A's (so far) in this PhD that I'm using to actualize this project. I advocate for change and willing to strive and sacrifice myself for others to live, which is while I’m wholly dedicating my PhD . I’m not doing this to satisfy myself or career, but to pave a way for others (women) to succeed and live long in a patriarchal nation (Nigeria).

If I can bring out the best in others and help them live-longer, my heart will be fulfilled. I just want to live for others; I just want to bring a change; I just want to improve the wellbeing of women processors in Nigeria; I just want to improve nutrition derived from smoked fish, to save people’s health. I just want to be the change Nigeria needs. I am passionately and wholly committed to bringing this change. I have received $15,000 grant from Margaret McNamara Education Grant for this project, but that won’t be enough to accomplish this mission, that is bound to save lives and improve nutrition.

I feel myself to be fortunate, but have had to conquer difficult obstacles.  One of the things that made me strive through is my passion, skills and willingness to advance more; and each time I share knowledge with people, I always see myself striving and aiming higher, as others begin to see me as role model. In our association of over 4000 farmers, I became the first and only fish farmer (as at 2018) with a Masters degree in Sustainable Aquaculture from St Andrews University Uk; I will also be the first to obtain a PhD in the sector, and from a US institution. The knowledge I acquired gave me an upper hand to lead United Ufuoma Fish Farmers Association (UUFFA) as their Research Technician between 2017-2019. So far in Nigeria, expertise within the sector is still very scarce, and most of the farmers are illiterates. Most of the practices they know is what was passed to them by their grandparents and parents. Many aquaculture businesses have failed and continue to fail because of a lack of understanding of basic science. I will capitalize on my educational opportunities to bring this knowledge back to my homeland, and to improve livelihoods.

I am helping to teach the women of tomorrow to be successful business people in aquaculture, and will continue to increase my reach. I am very passionate and excited to see this grow. Through the Women in Aquaculture (WiA) forum hosted by The Fish Site, I have mentored a group of women from Nigeria, Kenya and Fiji to build their careers in aquaculture. All my mentees are doing exceedingly well, and one of my most recent, was just awarded the prestigious VLIR-OUS Scholarship to study for a Master’s degree in Aquaculture at Ghent University.

In my association, I have voluntarily trained farmers on countless occasions and also did research of the challenges facing the sector. As part of this research, I created a list of solutions to the challenges I identified that will help improve the livelihoods of my people.

I am currently a recipient of Margaret McNamara Education Grant. This award is for those who are committed in improving lives and well-being of women and children in the developing world. I am also a Commonwealth Scholar/Alumni, which is awarded to innovators, leaders of the future and outstanding talents- My Master’s degree was fully sponsored for this purpose. 

The importance of the project cannot be overestimated, since it is very unique in Nigeria. A clean and sustainable aquaculture and fish processing is inherently a resource-efficient and environmentally friendly means of producing and processing fish, which brings more and healthy food locally, would improves working conditions, shortens the seafood supply chain, reduces seafood’s carbon footprint, reduces spoilage of harvested fish, stimulates local economies and provides local jobs, where poverty is most persistent. This is also vital to help lift the economy of Nigeria out of its current depressed condition because of years of economic recession and high unemployment rate in the country. This innovation is also important to plug the gap in Nigeria between a growing demand for fish and a diminishing supply, due to this poor working conditions that scare people from taking up a job in this line. The project is also important in helping directly to meet the first two UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 1 poverty; SDG 3 good health and well being; and SDG 2 hunger, as well as indirectly  SDG 8- decent work and economic growth; SDG 9 -industry, innovation and infrastructure and SDG 16- peace, justice and strong institutions.

Nigeria is faced  with so many problems in terms of development mostly in the areas of reducing poverty which currently stands at nearly 75% of its population; providing jobs for her  many unemployed youths, estimated at about 49 million with  an unemployment rate of 23.9%, meeting a safe working conditions and meeting adequate nutritive requirements of its 200 million people. A key agricultural subsector where government efforts have been directed to solve these challenges,  is through the promotion of fish farming where the nation has huge untapped potential.  It has long been recognized by fish scientists working in Nigeria that fish farming remains  the most viable option to increase local fish production to a level where it can match demand. But all this is at risk, unless a better technology is on ground to preserve the product , as they are being harvested. This has necessitated my previous research directed to identifying factors which are currently slowing down the growth, development and awareness of the populace about this enterprise. These include poor management and use of obsolete technology employment. Working to improve the technology being used to preserve the fish- smoking technology, will not only improve the working condition for processors and quality end product for consumers, it will strive the sector to grow and produce more fish, knowing fully well that the products will be well preserved after the harvest. This is the fear of many farmers- as the production increases, there is this fear of future glut that arises, as farmers think of easy and faster ways to preserve (there is already an absent of cold chain and poor electricity supply in the country)
This proposed technology doesn't take days to smoke the fish as the traditional techniques do.

My project is serving as many fish farmers/processor as I can reach and whose funding I received can reach, within the 6 states in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. I am starting with the members of United Ufuoma Fish Farmers Association, Warri Delta State of Nigeria. I will extend to other local fish farmers within these region.

Within the next one year, I will spend more time in Nigeria, putting in place all the things required to have this huge project established in Nigeria. I will be meeting with fish processors in the Niger Delta, training and preparing them for this. In five years time, I should have established this technology fully within the 6 states of the Niger Delta coastal region and also completed my PhD. I will fully return to Nigeria with hopes to be recognized as a female industrial leader; ensuring that this technology is well maintained across the country. I also plan to extend my outreach beyond the fish farms to local schools where I will mentor young women who wish to become involved in Aquaculture and fish processing.  

My major barrier is finance. Having the financial means of creating this project in Nigeria.

As I mentioned to you earlier, I have over the years conquered most of the barrier placed on me because of my gender (women). I have managed to acquire skills and expertise that most of my male colleagues in the industry do not have. I have already established a strong influence over the years of working as both a farmer and processor. I understand the market and what it takes to penetrate.

I already have a grant of $15000 (US dollars) from Margaret McNamara Education Grant (MMEG) to begin this project. However, I'm required to seek for more grants to accomplish this project. If I fail to get enough grant for this project, I will have to use the grant I already have, some supports from my school (may be), and my little savings to do what I can. I may not be able to accomplish it as I wished to.

I am partnering with The University of Massachusetts Boston School For the Environment (SFE). I already have three professors in SFE faculty working with me on this project. I also have reached out to USAID Feed the Future programme manager, to see how we can work together, and they sounded so positive towards this arrangement and promised to link me up to their local partners in Nigeria. PIND foundation is also another organization, I have been talking to, to see how they can be part of this project.

I am only seeking for grants and that is the only way.

I budgeted $320,000 for the entire project including

• Rent and bills in the United States (for the whole duration I will be here) - 70,000
• Travels- (from US to Nigeria x 3, for two partner including hotels and local transports)- 45,000

•  Technology shipments- 35,000 (2)
•  Materials and supplies; and local fabrication- 100,000 (8)
• Training of farmers (2 times a year for three years)- 45,000
• Miscellaneous expenses - 25,000

I am directly working with the School For the Environment faculty in UMass Boston to build this project till completion. I'm also working directly with the United Ufuoma Fish Farmers Association Warri as my core delivery department/partner.

I will have The USAID Feed the Future project partners in the Niger Delta and PIND Foundation to partly steer this project. I hope to carry them along and see how they can learn one or two things from my project, and possibly include it in their current/future projects in the country. They have some projects on aquaculture in Nigeria.