Despite the growing evidence that effective markets are essential for improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, little is known about the marketing channels in the fisheries sector, especially in aquaculture. A fundamental concern for aquaculture development in Cameroon is the marketing of farmed fish. This study uses cross-sectional data from fish farmers in Cameroon to examine the factors that influence their market channel choices. We find that farmers who have experienced losses due to adverse weather, those whose peak sales occur during the rainy season, and those who consider information from extensionists useless are more likely to sell to fish traders instead of food service providers and individuals. However, this likelihood decreases with an increase in sales price, among older farmers, among those trained in fish farming, and among those with access to market information. Similarly, the probability of selling to cooperatives rather than food service providers increases with total output but decreases with the number of nearby farms and the frequency of extension contacts. Furthermore, the decision to sell to cooperatives instead of food service providers and individuals is less common among male farmers and those who are members of cooperatives. Our findings reveal a complex interplay of demographic, institutional, and environmental factors influencing marketing channel choices. They highlight the need to strengthen the capacity of fish farmer groups, enhance market information systems and rural infrastructure, and improve extension services that could help farmers optimize their marketing strategies, reduce dependency on intermediaries, and increase their overall income and livelihoods.
Keywords: Aquaculture, fish marketing, choice, market channel, small-scale farmers, developing countries, Cameroon