The fish feed cost is a major constraint to fish farming in Sub-Saharan Africa. In Zambia, fish feed is a determinant factor in the aquaculture value chain and accounts for 60 -70% of the fish production cost. Part of the fish feed production costs are incurred owing to the import of ingredients. In an effort to better understand the Zambian raw material market, an ingredient and fish feed scopin g study was conducted to focusing on the type, areas of production, seasonality of availability and price of local ingredients that can be used in fish feed production. Thus, 450 stakeholders were interviewed from 6 Zambian Provinces namely, Northern, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Luapula and Lusaka. A total of 27 assorted ingredien ts were identified of which 70.4% were categorised as plant, 22.2% as animal and 7.4% as other ingredient sources . Findings show that p lant ingredient sources were mostly sunflower ( Helianthus annuus) (21%), rice (Oryza sativa) (23%), maize (Zea mays) (26.7%), cassava (Manihot esculenta) (3.1%), velvet (Mucuna pruriens) (11%), cow peas (Vigna unguiculata) (9%), pumpkin leaves (Cucurbita pepo ) (1%), chikanda (Disa robusta) (5.2%). T he main animal ingredient sources were kakeya (a ssorted small fish) (17%), chisense (Potamothrissa acutirostris ) (23%), kapenta (Limnothrissa miodon) (43%), caterpillar1(Gonimbrasia belina) (9%) and caterpillar2 (Gonimbrasia belina) (6%) and cray fish (Cherax quadricarinatus) (2%). While other ingredient sources were dried brewer’s yeast waste (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and local salt (Sodium chloride). The best available by-product ingredient sources were tea waste ( Camellia sinensis), palm seed oil (Elaeis guineensis ), sunflower cake, rice bran, soybean cake, chikanda powder, cassava chips, kayeya fish and caterpillar2. The ingredients were also divided into different nutrient categories. The most produced nutrients were carbohydrates (58%), followed by proteins (26%), whilst lipids, minerals, vitamins (9% combined) were the least. Sunflower cake had the lowest average price (ZMK2/kg), followed by maize bran (ZMK10/kg), sorghum (ZMK12/kg), velvet beans (ZM K13/kg), kayeya (ZM K14/kg), chisense waste (ZM K10/kg). The highest ingredient prices were for caterpillar1 (ZMK45/kg), cassava (ZMK35/kg), finger millet (ZMK36/kg) and cray fish (ZMK42/kg). This study overall revealed a diversity of local ingredients available in Zambia with potential to be used to formulate fish feeds. Therefore, proximate analysis and digestibility studies are required to understand their nutritional composition and potential use as local fish feed ingredients for the production of low cost, local fish feeds.
KEY WORDS : Aquaculture , Cost, Fish feeds, Local Ingredients/raw materials , Zambia.