Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP)

The fish smoking sector in Ghana is highly dependent on fuelwood as a source of energy, and a 2014 study by SNV found that there were over 120,000 fish smoking stoves in near-constant use along Ghana’s coastline and in the Volta Lake basin. Where forest wood resources are limited, mangrove forests are used, and the extent and rate of mangrove forest depletion outstrip the slow rate of regeneration, leading to the degradation of these forest systems. Between 2005 and 2010, Ghana’s deforestation rate was estimated at 2.2% per annum, the sixth-highest globally during that period.

Contributing to this high rate of deforestation is the widespread use of inefficient fish smoking technologies, which also expose women to heat and smoke. The WHO estimates that harmful cookstove smoke is the fifth leading cause of death in transitional economies. Adoption of the improved smoker technology is a major component of this approach. Several partners are involved in the Project's value chain components, with SNV leading the technology R&D, scale-up, and sustainability strategy development, driven by the private sector.

The Sustainable Fisheries Management Project (SFMP) was a Feed the Future initiative funded by USAID/Ghana and implemented by the University of Rhode Island, SNV, and other local implementing partners.

Technology innovation and the Ahotor stove

The Ahotor or Comfort stove, known for its high efficiency and low toxic 'PAH' emissions in fish, was developed by SNV and its partners. The project offered a 30% incentive to the first 150 early adopters of this improved stove. The strategy allowed program participants to choose between obtaining the stove by taking small loans from designated Rural Banks or purchasing it directly from project-approved stove construction companies. Nine stove construction companies were identified, trained, and collaborated with the project to ensure quality control and ongoing product development.

Finally, the project sought to develop a market for healthy fish, enabling fish processors to realise higher margins for a better-quality product. As this was achieved, the market ‘pull’ led to much greater adoption of healthy fish practices and a greater uptake of low-PAH, energy-efficient stoves.