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Ankazomahity: A promising village fish farming to benefit the community and ecosystems of Ambaro Bay

Posted on 28 April 2025

Fish farming is an important pillar of local development in the small village of Ankazomahity, in the heart of the Ambaro Bay mangroves, on the road linking Ambilobe and Ambanja, Diana region. This activity helps to preserve ecosystems while significantly improving living conditions for communities.

Many villagers in Ankazomahity have taken up fish farming, mainly of Tilapia nilotica, with a total of 200 ponds set up by the farmers themselves. One of them was keen to testify to the rigorous work behind this production: “The size of the ponds must meet some standards, otherwise the profitability of the activity could be compromised. The right size will enable the ponds to be oxygenated and the fish to be fed properly. A 17x10-meter pond, for example, can hold up to 240 fish ». And women are not to be outdone either: in addition to other activities such as raffia weaving, many are very involved in fish farming. The first woman to initiate this activity in the community now manages to sell 30 to 50 kg of fish at each sale. She also sells fingerlings to new fish farmers at 300 Ar each.

Although prosperous, fish farming is not without its difficulties, particularly in terms of seasonality and security, which communities try to manage as best they can. The dry and rainy seasons are not always conducive to good production. Ponds that dry out reduce production. Conversely, when ponds overflow during periods of heavy rain, the fish are lost in the wild. For this reason, the fish must be collected every year in June to ensure a consistent quantity, which can vary between 150 and 250 kg and is sold at 15,000 Ariary (3 euros) per kilo. The ponds are also frequently victims of plundering by other villagers, as confided one of the fish farmers, who has lost around 5 kg of fish over the last two years.

WWF supports fish farming in Ankazomahity through training courses, in particular for Relay Farmers at the « Centre de Développement de l'Aquaculture Mahajanga » (Mahajanga Aquaculture Development Center), the provision of a start-up batch of fry and fish feed, and support for fish farmers and cooperatives with ISA Agribusiness. The aim is to develop the industry, professionalize cooperatives and foster partnerships with the private sector.

The Ankazomahity community is well supplied with income-generating activities such as fish farming, beekeeping and handicrafts. This has considerably reduced the pressure on ecosystems, including the rainforest and mangroves, which serve as essential water sources for fish farming.