Zambia has significant potential for the development of a thriving aquaculture industry . In recent years, t he G overnment of the Republic of Zambia has implemented policies and programmes aimed at promoting and developing the aquaculture sector, including the establishment of the Citizen Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) to provide financial and technical support. However, there were still concerns regarding the performance of aquaculture projects, particularly, in relation to the CEEC funding. Therefore, an assessment of the performance of aquaculture projects concerning CEEC funding was essential to better understand the effectiveness of these investments, identify areas for improvement, and provide evidence-based recommendations for future funding decisions. The lack of empirical evidence on the actual performance of CEEC-funded aquaculture projects, such as unmet projections and loan repayment challenges, necessitated the assessment of CEEC investments towards aquaculture.
Thus, the main objective was to assess the performance of the aquaculture development projects in relation to CEEC funding ; in terms of actual production levels compared to their initial projections and plans , loan repayment rates , effectiveness of monitoring and evaluation (M and E) activities , and finally, identify areas for improvement in CEEC funding and project management . The study areas were Kitwe and Kalulushi districts. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis methods. This included the use of surveys and interviews during data collection. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).
The results showed that the performance of CEEC-funded aquaculture projects, in terms of actual fish production, had been relatively below average to their initial projections and plans. This shortfall can be attributed to several factors such as in sufficient funds, late disbursement, and lack of skills. This study also revealed that loan repayment posed a substantial challenge, negatively impacting the profitability and sustainability of these aquaculture projects due to factors like high costs of inputs. Furthermore, this study pointed out that the effectiveness of the M and E activities carried out by the Department of Fisheries, in collaboration with CEEC officials and other relevant government agencies, was uncertain . This uncertainty suggested some aspects of inconsistencies in the M and E activities . Finally, this study recommended timely disbursement of funds, better project management skills , and autonomy in the use of funds as a means of improving performance .