Consumer choices and demand for Tilapia in urban Malawi: What are the complementarities and trade-offs?

Fish consumption can reduce malnutrition in many fish-producing low-income countries. Despite concerted efforts to develop capture fisheries and aquaculture countries, fish demand remains poorly understood due weak fragmented domestic markets, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. An important area that affects their development is limited understanding of the complementarities trade-offs choice for products how are affected by socioeconomic characteristics consumers, market factors fish-specific attributes. Previous studies have assessed consumer general, without considering species-specific choices. We add literature analyzing complementarity fresh smoked/dried two tilapia species, Lake Malawi Oreochromis (Nyasalapia) spp. shiranus using household survey data from urban Malawi. employ Multivariate Probit Seemingly Unrelated Regression models analyze correlates demand. results indicate choices but products. find not same as Sex years schooling food decision maker, frequency consumption, income, access price information, traits significantly influenced Developing robust value chains requires exploiting policy support boost production, lower prices increase information. More generally breeding programs should also link objectives fishery products, rarely examined attributes such ease cooking, appearance, taste, smell.