The changing social and economic relations in Uganda's local fishing economy: the case of fisher communities of Kalangala district
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Date
1993
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Publisher
University of Dar es Salaam
Abstract
The study critically investigates the changes that have taken place in the character and organisation of the fishing economy of Kalangala District in Uganda. It also seeks valid explanations for the changes. The key focus is put on changes in:
a) forms of labour; characteristics of the key participants in the fishing economy, in terms of:
social and ethnic backgrounds; gender, age class and education;
b) forms of ownership of the maj or means of production and the socio-economic
characteristics of the owners and the labourers; c) forms of distribution and control of
proceeds;
d) relationships between: fisheries resources, fishing technology, patterns of work and social
relations of production and reproduction. The analysis explores the relations of gender and class and their interaction in the fishing economy. It highlights the multidimensionality of the interactions between men and women and shows how the traditional gender roles have been redefined. It also examine the relationships between fishing and other local economic sectors such as farming and petty trade. The study focuses on six fish landings in two sub counties of Mazinga and Bujumba in Kalangala District. The target landing sites and key respondents were selected by simple random sampling. The key categories of respondents included: owners of means of production, labourers, fisheries officers, traders and transporters, and elderly citizens.
Data were collected using six instruments:
- Three different indepth interview schedules for fisheries, labourers and the Fisheries
development officer in Kalangala.
- Two questionnaires for the fisheries officer in charge of projects at the Headquarters in
Entebbe and the official at the Uganda Commercial Bank Rural Farmers Scheme at
Kalangala, respectively.
- An observation schedule was used to cross-check the data acquired through interviews.
- Other techniques included guided group discussions and oral histories.
The analysis brings forward the dialectical relationship between productive forces and relations of production. This is clearly illuminated in the positive interaction between changes in the fisheries resources and fishing technology and the corresponding changes in the labour process, ownership patterns, and distribution of proceeds. The analysis also illuminates the inter-relationship between different sectors of the economy, indicating how they have both supported and undermined each other at different times. For instance, the deterioration of confidence in cash crop agriculture, petty trade and the scarcity of free land in the neighbouring farm districts have combined to make fishing in Kalangala a key outlet for poor people from other economic sectors. In contrast, the indigenous people are losing confidence in fishing due to the escalation of investment costs and persistent decline in fish catches, coupled with unstable markets and poor planning. On the whole the study, has succeeded to identify and explain the changes that have taken place in the fishing economy at the technical, economic, social and political levels. It shows the transformation of the fishing economy from a feudal, precolonial subsistence economy, to a highly commercialised and commoditised one and draws possible explanations for the changes.
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Keywords
Fisheries, Kalangala district, Economic aspects, Fishers, Uganda, Kalangala district, Uganda
Citation
Babikwa, D.J (1993) The changing social and economic relations in Uganda's local fishing economy: the case of fisher communities of Kalangala district, masters dissertation, University of Dar es Salaam. Available at (http://41.86.178.3/internetserver3.1.2/detail.aspx?parentpriref=)