Evaluating the economic potential of aquaculture 

farming: A case of Tilapia fish 

(ARP) 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Nosimilo Mbele 

(2278407) 

WITS Business School 
 

 

 

 

 

Thesis presented in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of 
Business Administration to the Faculty of Commerce, Law, and 

Management, University of the Witwatersrand 
 

30th April 2021 & 30th July 2021 

 

 

 



 ii

DECLARATION 

I Nosimilo Mbele declare that this research report entitled ‘Evaluating the economic 

potential of aquaculture farming: A case of Tilapia fish farming’ is my unaided work. I 

have acknowledged, attributed, and referenced all ideas sourced elsewhere. I am hereby 

submitting it in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Business 

Administration at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. I have not 

submitted this report before for any other degree or examination to any other institution. 

 

    

Nosimilo Mbele  

Signed at Johannesburg on 30th April 2021  

 
 

Name of candidate Nosimilo Mbele 

Student number 2278407 

Telephone numbers 0833879675 

Email address 
nsmlmbele@gmail.com & 

EskomNo@eskom.co.za 

First year of registration 2019 

Date of proposal submission 16 November 2020 

Date of report submission 30th  April 2021 & 30th July 2021 

Name of supervisor Jenika Gobind 

 



 iii

ABSTRACT 
 

Author: Nosimilo Mbele Supervisor Jenika Gobind 

Thesis 

title: 

Evaluating the economic potential of aquaculture farming: A case of 

Tilapia fish 

 

Tilapia fish is the most consumed fish in the world because it is high in protein. However, 

there has been depletion in the aquatic family due to numerous environmental factors. 

That resulted in the new form of reproducing it in a controlled monitored environment 

called fish farming, which is done in three ways: fish farming, aquaculture, or aquaponics. 

This type of reproduction will assist in future for securing food because the world 

population exponential growth is more than what has been estimated. The South African 

tilapia fish farming sector is very significant, so that the country is heavily dependent on 

the frozen tilapia that is exported from China. 

The exploratory qualitative case study method was used to investigate if it is economically 

viable by using multi-sources to get a holistic view of the sector. The South African sector 

has numerous challenges that contribute to the failure of the industry to meet the 

country’s demand which geographical location, weather condition, land, water scarcity 

and skills. 

The findings of the study were that different stakeholders have to work together to grow 

the sector that has a high potential of producing fresh organic tilapia, in turn, contribute 

to the economy of the country, create employment and alleviate poverty 

 

 

Johannesburg, 30th April 2021 & 30th July 2021 

 

  

 



 iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................ ii 

Abstract………… ...................................................................................................................... iii 

Table of contents ......................................................................................................................... iv 

List of tables…………. ............................................................................................................. vii 

List of figures……….. ............................................................................................................. viii 

List of tables and figures in the appendices ............................................................................ ix 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..................................................................................................... x 

LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................. xi 

1 Introduction to the research ............................................................................................... 1 

1.1 Background and context ........................................................................................... 1 

1.1.1 Global tilapia fish farming sector .............................................................. 1 

1.1.2 Tilapia fish farming sector in South Africa .............................................. 1 

1.1.3 Growth in the tilapia sector in South Africa ............................................ 2 

1.2 Research conceptualisation ...................................................................................... 2 

1.2.1 The research problem statement ............................................................... 2 

1.2.2 The research purpose (aim and objectives) statement ............................ 3 

1.2.3 The research questions ................................................................................ 4 

1.3 Delimitations and assumptions of the research study .......................................... 4 

1.4 Research study significance ...................................................................................... 5 

1.5 Preface to the research report .................................................................................. 6 

2 Literature review ................................................................................................................... 7 

2.1 Patterns of Tilapia fish farming and problem analysis ......................................... 7 

2.1.1 Global patterns of Tilapia fish farming .................................................... 7 

2.1.2 African continent patterns of Tilapia fish farming ................................. 9 

2.1.3 Tilapia patterns in South Africa ............................................................... 10 

2.1.4 Problem analysis ......................................................................................... 10 

2.2 Viability Theory (VT) grounding Tilapia fish farming ....................................... 11 

2.3 Empirical review ...................................................................................................... 12 



 v

2.3.1 Productivity for the economic viability of Tilapia fish farming (TFF)

 ...................................................................................................................... 13 

2.3.2 Constraints of TFF on the economic potential ..................................... 14 

2.4 Research knowledge gap analysis .......................................................................... 16 

2.5 Conceptual Framework for interpreting research findings ............................... 17 

2.6 Summary and conclusion ....................................................................................... 18 

2.6.1 Summary of literature reviewed ............................................................... 18 

2.6.2 Proposed research strategy, design, procedure, and methods arising 

from the literature review ......................................................................... 18 

3 Research strategy, design, procedure and methods ....................................................... 19 

3.1 Research strategy ..................................................................................................... 19 

3.2 Research design ........................................................................................................ 20 

3.3 Research procedure and methods ......................................................................... 21 

3.3.1 Data and information collection instruments ........................................ 21 

3.3.2 Target population and selection of cases ................................................ 22 

3.3.3 Ethical considerations when collecting research data ........................... 22 

3.3.4 Data and information collection process ............................................... 23 

3.3.5 Research data and information processing and analysis ...................... 24 

3.3.6 Description of the potential research cases ............................................ 25 

3.4 Research strengthens—credibility and trustworthiness applied ....................... 25 

3.5 Research weaknesses—technical and administrative limitations ...................... 26 

3.6 Summary ................................................................................................................... 27 

4 FINDINGS OF the research ........................................................................................... 28 

4.1 Themes linked to the research questions ............................................................. 28 

4.2 Findings of the study with cases analysis ............................................................. 30 

4.2.1 Alpha Tilapia fish farm .............................................................................. 30 

4.2.2 Beta Tilapia Fish Farm .............................................................................. 33 

4.2.3 Gamma Tilapia Fish Farm ........................................................................ 35 

4.2.4 Delta Tilapia fish farm ............................................................................... 37 

4.2.5 Epsilon Tilapia fish farm .......................................................................... 38 



 vi

4.2.6 Kappa Tilapia fish farm ............................................................................ 41 

4.2.7 Lambda Tilapia fish farm .......................................................................... 43 

4.2.8 Phi Tilapia fish farm .................................................................................. 45 

4.2.9 Omega Tilapia fish farm ........................................................................... 48 

4.3 Summary ................................................................................................................... 50 

5 Discussion of research findings ....................................................................................... 51 

5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 51 

5.2 Economic state and economic benefits of Tilapia fish farming in South 

Africa… .................................................................................................................... 51 

5.3 Critical factors for leveraging the economic potential of Tilapia fish farming in 

South Africa ............................................................................................................. 53 

5.4 Challenges that hinder the effective economic potential of Tilapia fish farming 

in South Africa ......................................................................................................... 54 

6 Summary, conclusions, limitations, and recommendations ......................................... 56 

6.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 56 

6.2 Summary and Conceptual Model .......................................................................... 56 

6.3 Limitations ................................................................................................................ 59 

6.4 Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 60 

6.5 Recommendations ................................................................................................... 62 

7 References…………… .................................................................................................... 64 

8 Appendices .......................................................................................................................... 71 

Appendix 1.1: Consent form ..........................................................................................................71 

Appendix 1.2: Data collection instruments ..................................................................................72 

Appendix 1.2.1: Interview questionnaires .........................................................................72 

Appendix 1.2.2: Documents review ...................................................................................74 

Appendix 1.2.3: Field Observation checklist ....................................................................75 

Appendix 2.1: Ethics documentation .....................................................................................................77 



 vii

LIST OF TABLES 

Table 2.1: The production gains from various regions of the world by International Food 

Policy 

Table 3.1: Case studies 

Table 4.1: Themes linked to the research questions of the study 

Table 4.2: Document review and observation check sheet of Alpha Tilapia fishing farm  

Table 4.3: Document review and observation check sheet of Beta Tilapia fishing farm  

Table 4.4: Document review and observation check sheet of Gamma Tilapia fishing farm  

Table 4.5: Document review and observation check sheet of Delta Tilapia fishing farm  

Table 4.6: Document review and observation check sheet of Epsilon Tilapia fishing farm  

Table 4.7: Document review and observation check sheet of Kappa Tilapia fishing farm  

Table 4.8: Document review and observation check sheet of Lambda Tilapia fishing farm 

Table 4.9: Currently in South Africa, there are 5 market segments of tilapia 

Table 4.10: Document review and observation check sheet of Phi Tilapia fishing farm  

Table 4.11: Document review and observation check sheet of Omega Tilapia fishing farm  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 viii

LIST OF FIGURES 

Figure 1.1: 2015 statistics African market consumed 98% of frozen tilapia exported from     

China  

Figure 2.1: Global aquaculture and captured fishery production 

Figure 2.2: African aquaculture and captured Tilapia production 2017 

Figure 6.1: The initial conceptual model  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 ix

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES IN THE APPENDICES 

Appendix 1.1 Consent Form 

Appendix 1.2: Data collection instruments 

 Appendix 1.2.1: Interview questionnaire 

 Appendix 1.2.2: Documents review 

 Appendix 1.2.3: Field observation checklist 

 

 



 x

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

 

I would like to take an opportunity to acknowledge all those that have supported me 

during the journey of my study. 

To my cheerleaders, my daughter (Akhona Ame` Mbele), mother, brother, family and 

friends who have been patiently understanding with love during this challenging, hectic 

and stressful time. Without all your support and encouragement, I would not have 

completed it. I have no words to express how grateful I am to have you all in my life. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 xi

LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS 

1. FAO: Food and Agriculture Organisation 

2. MT: Million metric tons  

3. COVID-19: Coronavirus disease  

4. IDC: Industrial Development Corporation 

5. TFF: Tilapia Fish Farming 

6. VT: Viability Theory 

7. GDP: Gross Domestic Product  

8. OECD: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development  

9. SADC: South African Development Community  

10. NEDALC: National Economic Development and Labor Council  

11. DRC: Democratic Republic of Congo  

12. AgriSeta: Agricultural Sector Education and Training Authority  

13. SMMEs: Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises  

14. MS Teams: Microsoft Teams 

15. RAS: Recirculation aquaculture systems   

16. TSFSA: Tilapia Fish Farmers of South Africa  

17. DWAF: Department of Water Affairs and Forestry  

18. ICBT: Informal Cross-Border Trade  

19. SETA: Sector Education and Training Authority  

20. R&D: Research and Development 

21. DEFF: Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries 

22. UN: United Nations 

23. USA: United States of America 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 1

1 INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH 

 

1.1 Background and context 

This research study investigates the economic potential of aquaculture farming: A case of 

Tilapia fish. In section 1.1, the report briefly provides the background and the context of 

the study, followed by the research conceptualization in Section 1.2.  Flowing from this 

is the research delimitations and assumptions discussion followed by the research 

significance on Section 1.4, with the last section being the preface of the research report. 

1.1.1 Global tilapia fish farming sector 

Tilapia is one of the most economical globally consumed farmed fish (imarc, 2020) and 

the recent data shows that the global supply increased to 6.8 MT in 2020 compared to 6.6 

MT in 2019 (Chase, 2020). This indicates the growth of the farmed fish.  In addition, to 

the development of Tilapia farming in traditional continents such as Africa and Asia, 

Tilapia fish saw an increase in non-traditional countries of tilapia consumption and 

acceptance (Gupta & Acosta, 2004). However, its high development potential of tilapia 

farming in Africa requires proper policy development and sector management driven by 

the growth in economics and population (Cai, Quagrainie, & Hishamunda, 2017). 

Nevertheless, the improved genetic technology, selective breeding, and support from 

government initiatives have stimulated tilapia market growth. Still, due to COVID-19, the 

changes in the market have been monitored with forecasts done after considering the 

pandemic impact (imarc, 2020). 

1.1.2 Tilapia fish farming sector in South Africa 

In South Africa, the most commonly raised fish is tilapia that can survive difficult 

environmental conditions, according to the shared information by FAO (2014) (Mchunu, 

Lagerwall, & Senzanje, 2018). Furthermore, fish farming is moving towards the modern 

methods of farming that are a greenhouse, which assists in the regulation of water 

temperature that is important for the fish growth rate (Urban - Econ Development 

Economists, 2018). 

The study conducted on behalf of IDC (2015) on engaging with local buyers indicated 

that tilapia could substitute hake based on the decline in production versus its consistent 

consumption (Urban-Econ Development Economists, 2015).  



 2

South African small farmers are essential for contributing to food security in Africa, 

generating income, expanding and developing other farming activities, and being resilient 

against overwhelming components such as weather, markets, and economy (Fincham, 

2020). 

1.1.3 Growth in the tilapia sector in South Africa 

There is a need for development and growth of the tilapia sector, and this can be done in 

different formats, including but not limited to public-private partnerships (PPPs’) to form 

support structures for the small-scale farmers to be able to be commercial farms to 

increase the aquaculture contribution to the country’s GDP. Central to the development 

and growth is that the government needs to expedite a programme that will support the 

sector with credit facility to finance, a technical skill that will bridge the existing 

technology gap (Shava & Gunhidzirai, 2017).  In addition, there must be an improvement 

in sharing information with the public to understand tilapia (Mapfumo, 2018). South 

African government must also ensure that all the stakeholders in the sector can overcome 

market barriers to entry and limitations that will assist the farmers in improving and 

increasing production, withstanding the international competition, overcome the logistics 

difficulties and restrictions in trading (Urban - Econ Development Economists, 2018). 

 

1.2 Research conceptualisation 

The research conceptualization focuses on the research problem statement, the research 

purposed, and the research questions of the study.  

1.2.1 The research problem statement 

Numerous factors affect the global fish farming market: import license process and 

procedures, lengthy certification procedure, customs cost and classification, valuation and 

clearance procedures, poor product marketing strategies, and conformance assessment 

(da Silva, Jose Graziano, 2018). However, World Trade Organisation (2017) explains that 

there will be the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement that is expected to 

accelerate the movement, release, and clearance of products across borders and making 

sure that the negative impacts on trade are kept at minimal (da Silva, Jose Graziano, 2018).  

South African environmental conditions are appropriate for seafood business production. 

The sector is a potential but insignificant contributor to national fishery production and 

economy; based on constraints that are land, water, capital, technology, and policy and 



 3

legislation deficiency. In recent years, there has been a hike in prices of traditional fish 

products in the local market due to the supply shortage, which through fish farming, can 

be resolved.  Tilapia has high qualities that are used in value-added products. This includes 

a high growth rate, fertility, and it can survive in short periods of poor water quality and 

a wide temperature range. It uses plant and animal nutrients for growth; meat is white, of 

good quality, and has a versatile taste and texture. It can be used in value-added products 

(James, 2020).  

 

The Tilapia fish has been increasing demand as a commodity that will continue to be a 

vital source of protein, employment opportunities, and foreign exchange for different 

countries. It is crucial to the economy of food security while opening new markets and 

economies, which yield good returns, which are used to develop other farming activities 

and diversification (David Fincham Aquaculture, n.d.). The typical popular South African 

commercial buyers forecast on the Tilapia stirring being the conventional of consumer 

conscience and acceptance and take a product due quality that is very close for hake, 

willing to buy from local suppliers as long constant supply is maintained (The Industrial 

Development Corporation, 2014). 

 

Despite the usefulness and value of Tilapia fish, it is imperative to investigate its economic 

potential, as tilapia can meet the growing demand, poverty alleviation, and employment 

creation (Prabu, Rajagopalsamy, & Ahilan, 2019).  

1.2.2 The research purpose (aim and objectives) statement 

This research study aims to investigate the economic potential of aquaculture specifically 

on tilapia fish farming, by responding to the research study questions. It will further 

expand on the potential available economic opportunities and constraints faced by South 

Africa to grow and compete in the global industry and market.  

These questions are essential to each other, as understanding Tilapia fish farming will play 

a significant role in food security, poverty alleviation, employment creation, and the 

country's economy. Therefore, it is also essential to develop the sector in a sustainable 

manner that is important to sustain food security while tapping into the existing markets 

and economies, which yield good returns, which are used to develop other farming 

activities and diversification.  



 4

The design of the study is a multi-case study that is used to answer the research questions 

and meet the objectives of the study by providing a well-structured rationalization for the 

chosen source of data, collection, and analysis research methods (Saunders, Lewis, & 

Thornhill, 2015). The entire study was conducted without compromising the ethical issues 

and the challenges encountered throughout.   

1.2.3 The research questions  

1.2.3.1 Question 1: What are the economic state and economic benefits of 

Tilapia fish farming in South Africa?  

1.2.3.2 Question 2: What are the critical factors for leveraging the economic 

potential of Tilapia fish farming in South Africa? 

1.2.3.3 Question 3:  What are the challenges that hinder the effective economic 

potential of Tilapia fish farming in South Africa? 

 

1.3 Delimitations and assumptions of the research study 

The problem in the tilapia sector globally, within the continent, and in South Africa is the 

depletion of the natural resource in the ocean and freshwater that results from global 

exponential growth in population, growing urbanisation and rising remunerations in the 

emerging countries, and this effect is forecasted to continue (Msangi & Batka, 2015). 

 There are numerous root causes of the challenge in the South Africa tilapia sector 

identified by the previous studies. The root causes of the problem are climate change, 

water shortages, access to finance, skills and development in the industry, infant sector, 

technology, temperature, load shedding, legislation, research and development, and 

transport and marketing (AgriSeta, 2020). 

The sector being infant requires a lot of support to grow. However,  growth will 

contribute to poverty alleviation; generate employment with the country that has an 

unemployment rate sitting at 28.48% reported by stats SA 3rd of November 2020, where 

the population is growing at an exponential rate and contribute to the economy of the 

Aquaculture in turn South African GDP (Urban - Econ Development Economists, 2018). 

The R&D will contribute to the sector's continuous improvement to have a competitive 

advantage internationally because the World Food Organisation has theoretically proved 

that the industry can feed the entire world and increase its strength (Cook, 2017).  



 5

R&D will be able to find new, improved ways of productivity that will minimise the risks 

of the Tilapia not meeting the required specification for commercial purposes, which will 

minimise intensive work in the production process and trade. 

 

1.4 Research study significance 

The global human population has been exponentially growing over the decades, such that 

the seafood supply does not meet the demand. In addition, global warming and sea traffic 

also are contributing factors to the depletion of the natural resources in the ocean. 

Aquaculture aims to close the seafood gap demand growing, where aquaculture is the 

hatching or breeding, rearing, and harvesting of the creatures that originate in water 

environments. Tilapia has globally gained popularity over the years and is the new way of 

producing a surplus of fish to meet the demand of the deficiency from the natural course 

of reproducing and multiply from the ocean, river, and other places.  

 

The tilapia fish farming research study plays a vital role in the contribution of the food 

security provided for 4.9 billion people globally in 2015 and is estimated to feed 9 billion 

by 2050 (Bene, et al., 2015). However, South Africa, the sector is in an infant stage, must 

find how it can grow and be able to international trade and play an essential role in foreign 

currency earnings while generating employment that results in the households earning 

income (da Silva, 2016). 

The study will contribute to how the small-scale farmers can grow to be commercial 

farmers who will supply the buyers with fresh tilapia within the country and expand to 

the continent instead of importing frozen, poor quality tilapia from China (Mapfumo, 

2018). 

 



 6

 

Figure 1.1: 2015 statistics African market consumed 98% of frozen tilapia exported from 

China.  

Source:  Mapfumo (2018) 

According to the report by DEFF (2013), South African infrastructure will enable the 

tilapia sector to produce compared to the countries in the continent and requires the 

government to allow operational not only through policies (Adeleke, Robertson-

Andersson, Moodley, & Taylor, 2020)Furthermore, an option of the technology is vital 

for the success and risk managing against the South African environmental weather 

conditions where in winter can be very cold below 120C that is the minimum required for 

tilapia fish to survive (Soliman, 2017). 

 

1.5 Preface to the research report 

The research study will consist of six chapters in total. Chapter 1 will be a pure 

introduction, and chapter 2 will cover the literature review of the industry patterns, 

theoretical background, empirical review, problem analysis, research gap, and the 

conceptual framework. Research strategy, design, procedures and methods, respondents’ 

description, strengths on research credibility and trustworthiness, and weaknesses on 

research administration and technical discussion in chapter 3. Chapter 4 will present 

research results, discussion of the findings in chapter 5 and results, in summary, 

conclusion with limitations and recommendations in chapter 6. 

 



 7

2 LITERATURE REVIEW 

This chapter has three broad objectives: understanding the research problem, identifying 

the knowledge gap, and developing a framework for interpreting the research findings. 

Specifically, in Section 2.1, we detail the research problem. Then, in Section 2.2, we review 

the literature on studies that have attempted a similar study or research. Finally, with 

information arising from Section 2.2, we identify and detail qualitative attributes or 

quantitative variables that are key to this research in Section 2.3 and a framework that we 

will use to interpret our research findings in Section 2.4. 

 

2.1 Patterns of Tilapia fish farming and problem analysis   

2.1.1 Global patterns of Tilapia fish farming 

Aquaculture is the farming of water animals and plants, which has grown quicker in recent 

years than any other livestock sector (Little, Newton, & Beveridge, 2015). It is the role of 

aquaculture to provide food security supply globally and economic development in 

developing countries (Pradeepkiran, 2019). It continues to accelerate its growth than any 

other industry that produces food since aquatic animals fed grow faster than the unfed 

animals (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2018). According to 

Scorvo-Filho, Frascá-Scorvo, Alves, and Souza (2010), about 40% of aquaculture 

originates from Tilapia fish production, which increased the importance of Tilapia. 

The captured fish has depleted and is no longer capable of sustaining the supply of the 

globally growing demand. Therefore, tilapia can meet the growing demand, poverty 

alleviation, and employment creation (Prabu, Rajagopalsamy, & Ahilan, 2019).  

 

In 2018, there is a 6.4 MT of Tilapia produced globally and the most consumed type of 

farmed fish. It is hard, resistant to diseases, affordable, omnivorous, and easily cultivated 

by small farmers (Wood, 2019). Tilapia Fish contain vitamin B, iron, vitamin D, selenium, 

and omega-3 fatty acids. According to Research and Market website (2019), different 

governments support businesses in aquaculture as part of promoting Tilapia fish farming 

due to the global increase in people being health-conscious and demand high protein 

diets. As a result, in 2020, despite the COVID 19 epidemic, production increased by 3.3 

per cent for the first time (Fletcher, 2020).   



 8

As it is vital for global food security, creates employment, generate income, and make it a 

valuable traded commodity with substantial earnings from the foreign market (The Tilapia 

Aquaculture Association of South Africa, 2020) 

 

Tilapia production globally is anticipated to be almost double in 2030, as per table 1 below, 

from 4.3 to 7.3 million tons (Van der Knaap, 2018). According to UN estimates, the global 

human population is expected to exceed more than 9 billion, which puts pressure on food 

security. Tilapia fish farming will be the global solution (Bene, et al., 2015).   

 

 

Table 2.1: The production gains from various regions of the world by International Food 

Policy.  

Source: Msangi, Siwa, Batka & Miroslaw (2015) 

 

The USA is the largest market globally for tilapia, while it is the most second consumed 

food fish in the country (Urban-Econ Development Economists, 2015). China is steadily 

increasing to be the primary influencer in the Tilapia fish farming and estimated to be 

37% by 2030 contributor while 38% of the total global consumers remain the prominent 

exporter and Asia (South including and India, Southeast) & Latin American (Services, 

2013). Tilapia farming has also grown attractive in other countries like Malaysia, Taiwan, 

Bangladesh, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, and Laos (Prabu, Rajagopalsamy, & Ahilan, 

2019). 

 

 



 9

2.1.2 African continent patterns of Tilapia fish farming 

The African continent has been a growing market for Tilapia but mainly majorly exported 

from China (Urban-Econ Development Economists, 2015). TFF has been successful in 

Egypt, followed by Nigeria, conducted for ages, and has been evolving intending to 

maximize its output. As a result, it is the primary source of supply in the whole continent, 

with more than 0.75 MT per year, according to James (2019), but second internationally 

(Kaleem & Sabi, 2020). 

There are numerous Tilapia farmers in other African countries, even though Egypt 

shadows them but these farmers shortly will be almost 16% growth rate even though their 

growth has been constant in the last couple of years (Fletcher, 2020)  

Various countries in the African continent use large cages or ponds for commercial 

purposes, i.e. Lake Harvest, which operates in Zimbabwe and Zambia, producing 

between 5 and 9 thousand tons of tilapia and Uganda and Lake Victoria had followed suit 

(James, 2019). 

In sub-Saharan Africa, fish farming has quickly gained motion as an innovative and 

economic mechanism for generating employment and increasing household income. 

According to FAO (2013), Tanzania presents the most favourable fish farming 

opportunity, supported by land and water sources. About 14 100 freshwater fish ponds 

are available in Tanzania, which is still to be tapped. Chenyambuga, Madalla, and 

Mnembuka (2012) reiterate that aquaculture in Tanzania is still being operationalised at a 

subsistence level by small-scale farmers of low status. However, they are being 

constrained by a lack of technology. Furthermore, FAO (2013) argues the lack of capacity 

in the government to exploit the viable fish farming, which can be diversifying production 

and developing the export market for the largely rural Tanzanian economy. In Uganda, a 

study was conducted by Maurice, Knutsson, and Gestsson (2010) to investigate the value 

chain of farmed African catfish. 

Similarly, Kariuki (2013) explores more on fish farming implementation in Kenya. The 

research explores the existing fish farming – mainly catfish farming – industry with its 

value chains. These studies responded to questions concerning fish farming culture, value 

chains, value distribution, and how these links profit farmers and small fish farming 

commercial businesses. In Nigeria, Ike and Onuegbu (2007) devised aquaculture 

technology packages for Nigerian farmers. The intervention strategy aimed to mitigate 

low technology levels in fish farming because of limited funding. Cook (2017) observes 



 10

that fish farming has proven to be an innovative strategy for improving communities' 

economic growth and well-being.  

2.1.3 Tilapia patterns in South Africa 

There has been a high demand for growing fish through aquaculture in South Africa due 

to demand not meeting the supply even though the industry remains minimal (Wood, 

Laura, 2020). However, the majority of the commercial suppliers are prepared to purchase 

from the local farmers only if they supply good quality Tilapia fish and sustainability 

(Urban-Econ Development Economists, 2015). According to Mkhize and Mbhele (2017) 

research conducted, the depletion of the natural resources created business opportunities 

to explore Tilapia fish farming (Mkhize & Themba, 2017). According to the AgriSeta skills 

plan, there are 11 sectors in agriculture, with red meat leading at 44.3%, while aquaculture 

is in the sixth position at 4.2%, and the last one is tobacco at 0.3% (AgriSeta, 2019). 

In 2013 according to the IDC (2015) report, were only 53 producers registered, and 79% 

of them located in Limpopo, North West, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng, containing the 

majority of producers based on the areas being warmer and more humid environment 

than other areas of the country but do not meet the quantity required by the market 

(Urban-Econ Development Economists, 2015). Nevertheless, there is a high potential for 

commercial Tilapia fish production to meet the current local demand that will alleviate 

poverty and create employment that will contribute to the country's economy. 

 

2.1.4 Problem analysis  

The existing supply of fish does not meet the demand quantities from the market. The 

sector has potential but insignificant contributors to national fishery production; based 

on constraints that are temperature, load shedding, land, water, capital, technology, and 

policy and legislation deficiency.  

There is no true reflection of how many existing actively operating farmers is because 

many small-scale farmers supply the informal markets often located in poor areas like 

townships and informal settlements and sell the fish directly to the household consumers. 

The existing large-scale commercialization farmers do not meet the demand quantities 

required by the current market. With UN of the year 2050, the population will exceed 9 

billion globally, posing a risk of food shortages. Tilapia provides relief of high-quality fish 

protein and can establish in both urban and rural areas. It is vital to the economy of food 

security while opening new markets and economies, which yield good returns, which are 



 11

used to develop other farming activities and diversification. It makes the interest in 

investigating aqua fish farms' economic potential to assist with ‘triple challenges’ of 

unemployment, poverty, and equality in both South Africa and other developing nations.  

 

2.2 Viability Theory (VT) grounding Tilapia fish farming  

Schwaninger (2006) explained that viability is the survival of a system or organization and 

the result of the progress and the setting of position. This view was supported by Golinelli 

et al. (2011) and Aubin et al. (2011), who l linked this to VT. The VT deals with the 

dynamic adaptation of uncertain evolutionary systems to environments defined by 

constraints (Sprenger, Mettler, & Winter, 2017).  As such, VT “studies the evolution of 

dynamical systems under constraints on the system’s state and control” (Aubin, 2009, 

Epigram vii). Thus, the essential elements of VT are control and state variables that are 

utilized for the system’s optimal control to formalize problems arising during the study 

of different natural and social phenomena (Oubraham & Zaccour, 2018).  

VT has two key components, which are functions of its essential elements (Oubraham & 

Zaccour, 2018) according to Krawczyk and Pharo (2013) that is: 

 Differential inclusions, which analyses nondeterministic and stochastic dynamic 

systems; that is vital in economic and environmental processes and  

 Viability, controlled experiments that are seldom executed in social science may 

not be “rational” to update one’s faith on something happening concerning 

something else, for with no control, nothing to show that this was not the result 

of some other (possibly unobserved) phenomenon. 

According to Oubraham and Zaccou (2018), the two components are the pillar of VT, 

and their primary concern is the state of the trajectory of the method studied in this case 

is the Tilapia fish farming that has globally evolved and is continuing to evolve based on 

global food security constraint against the global population growth. Therefore, the 

critical issue is decision-making and especially relevant in fast-changing market 

environments, depleted natural resources and rapid growth on the global population 

growth; therefore, further global development is required to build a viability theory for 

Tilapia fish farming. (Sprenger, Mettler, & Winter, 2017). 

 



 12

Problems involving both elements are intermingled in the same differential inclusion; the 

existence of a viability domain means sufficient control exists to give the system a chance 

of remaining, but it may not necessarily happen (Krawczyk & Pharo, 2013). 

Gathering understanding into an operational ecosystem-based framework is a massive 

task requiring time, resources, and new tactics. Reaching an agreement for fisheries 

management with different stakeholders will not be easy on existing ecosystem-based 

objectives and target reference points. A high probability of contradiction among social, 

economic, and ecological objectives and a workable balance will be required at the local 

scale (Cury, Mullon, Garcia, & Shannon, 2005). 

 

The research study focuses on evaluating the economic potential viability opportunities 

of Aquaculture Farming and concentrates on how Tilapia fish farming contributes to food 

security, employment creation, poverty alleviation, and contribution to the economy. 

Objectives to understand how and under which productivity conditions Tilapia fish need 

to produce to ensure the commercial viability to meet the market response. 

                                                                      

In the study conducted, the VT framework intended to quantify two forms of the 

resilience of a land-based Tilapia fish farming system depending on a highly inconstant 

environment. 

 

2.3 Empirical review 

Many research studies have been conducted on TFF that will contribute to global food 

security as an innovation for employment creation. Empirical evaluations regarding 

Tilapia's unpremeditated food security effects are diverse (Shava & Gunhidzirai, 2017). 

Studies indicated that globally, tilapia farming is growing and contributing to the global 

economy (Kaminski, Alexander M., 2020). It is predominantly in the Asian countries 

where they contribute 88% total of the worldwide production and Egypt in the African 

continent accounts for 71%, Nigeria 16%, Uganda 7% while 6% shared among Ghana, 

Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, Tunisia, Madagascar and South Africa of the 2,2% that Africa 

contributes on the global production (Urban-Econ Development Economists, 2015). 

South African fish farming has minor contributions, and there is no measurable growth 

even though there are opportunities and infrastructure to pursue the industry (Mkhize & 

Themba, 2017).  There has been an interest indicated on tilapia economic production and 



 13

has gained a competitive advantage over other produced aquaculture types based on its 

essential features (Young & Muir, 2002). 

 

2.3.1 Productivity for the economic viability of Tilapia fish farming 

(TFF) 

During 2000, TFF contributed about 3.6% of the global aquaculture annual production 

and ranges from small-scale that is for household consumption, non-commercial 

extensive and low input practices to a largescale that is market-driven, commercial 

determination and severe capital based on the strength of the hired management. (Gupta 

& Acosta, 2004). FAO’s production data is more reliable and accurate than other sources 

of data in TFF. The first sale value considered higher than before includes the newly 

available information of some main producing countries (Food and Agriculture 

Organization Of the United Nations, 2018). The year 2015 was reported to be the largest 

global Tilapia production where there was an increase in the number of farms that resulted 

in the production increase in Brazil, Bangladesh, Mexico, and Egypt, where China remains 

the main largest producer (Prabu, Rajagopalsamy, & Ahilan, 2019). 

TFF production by 2018 increased to 140 additional countries (Mapfumo, 2018). The 

world total fishery production, which is aquaculture and captured anticipated to increase 

to 196 million tons by 2025, and the increase, will be the contribution from developing 

countries (da Silva, José Graziano, 2016) 

 

 

Figure 2.1: Global aquaculture and captured fishery production 



 14

Source OECD (2015) and FAO (2015) 

 

The African tilapia production growth has been stagnant and insignificant and lags in 

developing its global share in global fish production (Chan, et al., 2019).  Egypt is the 

largest producer of tilapia on the continent (Mapfumo, 2018). 

 

 

Figure 2.2: African aquaculture and captured Tilapia production 2017 

Source OECD (2018) and FAO (2018) 

 

South Africa is a member of the SADC, where Zimbabwe is the one that has the 

favourable environment for the TFF production and where South Africa the TFF was 

recently given priority (Mapfumo, 2011). As a result, there has been an increase in TFF 

production according to the NEDALC, where most farmers consider it an opportunity 

since considered as hake replacement (Mkhize & Themba, 2017). 

 

2.3.2 Constraints of TFF on the economic potential 

The production environment drives the constraints of the TFF on economic potential, 

improved fish breeds, innovation and training development, poor infrastructure market 

and access, weak governance and regulation.  

2.3.2.1 Production Environment 

It is imperative to consider geographic and climate conditions that have a significant effect 

on the temperature for the tilapia production, which has a crucial manipulating factor as 

it regulates and influences the type of production systems that indicate what kind of 



 15

infrastructure is required to heat water as in needed during the cold season (Urban - Econ 

Development Economists, 2018) 

Geographical location has a vital effect on the commercial tilapia producers and the 

production growth; the different geographical production environments expose the more 

tolerance tilapia has to grow in various conditions (Young & Muir, 2002). Controlled 

breeding where it is quicker, more efficient production, better physical appearance, and 

environmental conditions that are tolerable produce the tilapia seeds that have ‘improved’ 

physical appearance (Gupta & Acosta, 2004). Most of the TFF production, which is more 

than 80%, is produced in Asia's most inland environments (Young & Muir, 2002). 

Egypt has a conducive temperature throughout the year based on the favourable desert 

temperature environment that continuously keeps the water and land warm. At the same 

time, Uganda and Nigeria also have a favourable tropical climate that is favourable for 

TFF production (Adeleke, Robertson-Andersson, Moodley, & Taylor, 2020). On the 

other hand, South African weather conditions drastically vary from one season to the 

other limiting tilapia production and the location (James, 2019). According to the 

published report by Industrial Development Corporation (2015) report South African 

weather conditions, most areas are not feasible for TFF production. Hence, significant 

interferences but others the climate is viable, where in other regions, production can only 

occur seasonally unless the water is heated to maintain high temperatures in winter 

(Urban-Econ Development Economists, 2015). 

2.3.2.2  Improved fish breeds 

Fish breeding is affected by different aspects such as environmental degradation, soil 

erosion, pollution, deforestation, lad shortage, floods, and freshwater shortages (FAO, 

2009). 

2.3.2.3  Innovation and Training development 

Technology and poor fish farming practical implementation result in limited industry 

growth (Shava & Gunhidzirai, 2017). Therefore, innovation through the implementation 

of better-quality technology is a vital victory and mitigates risk factors against 

environmental constraints during the whole process of TFF production (Adeleke, 

Robertson-Andersson, Moodley, & Taylor, 2020). 

2.3.2.4  Poor market infrastructure and access 

INFOFISH (2015) mentions that the African continent has a poor infrastructure that 

imposes severe limits on distribution within the continent. For example, the cold 

preservation system and roads constrain transportation of fresh tilapia in the Sub-Sahara 



 16

African markets and impact commercial purposes. South Africa, in contrast, has a well-

developed infrastructure, but its value chain is in the infancy stage or has minimal to no 

growth. (Urban - Econ Development Economists, 2018). 

South Africa can manage to export to the rest of the continent via roads transportation 

such as the DRC, currently supplied through Zambian traders (Personal Communication, 

2012)  

2.3.2.5  Weak governance and regulation 

South African industry is disadvantaged by the existing policy in acquiring permits to 

operate. There is no appropriate implementation process existing, not user friendly and 

not correctly coordinated between different government departments (Urban-Econ 

Development Economists, 2015). Satia (2011) mentioned that most African governments 

have developed an interest in creating policies that adapt, coordinate, and accelerate an 

environment conducive to the TFF while providing rewards and lenient credit (Adeleke, 

Robertson-Andersson, Moodley, & Taylor, 2020).  

 

2.4 Research knowledge gap analysis   

Local, national, and international settings typically affect the industry to generate 

employment—however, this results in economic recession and inflation unfavoured by 

policies. Therefore, the market and government should develop policies that will promote 

the TFF and create employment opportunities to boost the economy (Shava & 

Gunhidzirai, 2017). Thus, the industry has the high vital potential of reducing 

unemployment numbers and the chance to improve the African economy (Adeleke, 

Robertson-Andersson, Moodley, & Taylor, 2020). 

TFF production techniques will not be successfully sustainable if not promoted and 

managed through the developed production tasks (Adeleke, Robertson-Andersson, 

Moodley, & Taylor, 2020). 

 

The industry patterns indicated that the captured fish has depleted, and there has been an 

increase in Tilapia fish farming. Still, the exact number cannot be known for many small-

scale farmers who sell their products on the market (Food and Agriculture Organization 

of the United Nations, 2018). Fletcher (2020) further elaborates, “There are some 

question marks about the data, but it seems that overvaluations for some countries have 



 17

been roughly balanced by undervaluation for others, so the errors seem to negate each 

other”. 

African continent governments to close the gap by developing well-defined policies, 

interventions of public, general capacity in the industry development and legal 

frameworks, and financial assistance and marketing feasibility studies in the SADC 

countries private commercial part for the business project implementation (Mapfumo, 

2011). 

South African Tilapia fish farming industry requires more research and development on 

the existing technology upgrade to boost the tilapia production process to enable the 

farmers to reduce capital and operational expenses (Urban - Econ Development 

Economists, 2018). AgriSeta to work closely with the existing emerging farmers to assist 

in all the process stages to contribute to the South African economy in a significant and 

quantifiable way (AgriSETA, 2018). 

There is a lack of a promotion plan to strengthen trade utilising state services and 

resources to internationally optimize South African market success (Mkhize & Themba, 

2017). 

There are no adequate skills, training, and development in the industry; therefore, a 

massive gap requires programme development that will assist the market and expose 

opportunities that will create employment opportunities and contribute to the economy 

and growth of Tilapia fish farming.  

  

2.5 Conceptual Framework for interpreting research 

findings    

In the past decades, the growth in global fish farming has been depleting towards 

sustaining natural marine and freshwater resources. In developmental circles has been 

criticised because it focuses more on conservation and environmental protection, 

neglecting economic, social development and economic growth. With social equity, the 

focus is typically on jobs, land use and ownership, and distribution of goods supplying 

the industry and goods produced by the industry. An environmental emphasis typically 

looks at the effluents from a system, water quality, land use, and energy or natural 

resources used to regenerate those inputs.  

 

 



 18

2.6 Summary and conclusion 

2.6.1 Summary of literature reviewed 

Globally, the aquaculture sector has contributed significantly to critical socio-economic 

priorities: job creation, poverty alleviations, household income, and food security. 

However, there is a lot that needs to improve, especially technology and infrastructure, 

while providing the training and support to the small-scale farmers for their production 

to be commercially viable.  South African context, there is a high potential for commercial 

Tilapia fish production to meet the current local demand that will currently alleviate 

poverty and create employment that will contribute to the country's economy. 

2.6.2 Proposed research strategy, design, procedure, and methods 

arising from the literature review  

The research study uses a qualitative multi-case study choice of method, which is 

appropriate for the study because it will analyse different cases and compare within and 

between cases. Furthermore, as Denzin and Lincoln (2011) stated, the qualitative 

approach linked to interpretive philosophy means the researcher must access the in-depth 

understanding of tilapia fish farming by establishing a trust to participate in the credible 

research participants study results fully. Therefore, the strategy will be the multi-case study 

of tilapia fish farming.  

The data and information collection and analysis methods and literature review will 

contribute significantly to the knowledge of Tilapia fish farming. The data and 

information collected will be done via three semi-structured interviews, field observation, 

and document review. Thus, the study will be an interconnected process between 

collecting, analysing and interpreting as the interviews and observations. 

The research questions throughout the report result from working together to formulate 

discussion, conclusions, and recommendations on South African TFF. 

It will assist in ensuring that South African trade policy tools are prioritised toward 

initiatives that will yield the maximum economic benefits to South African Aquaculture 

industry workers and businesses while also unlocking the potential of SMMEs, 

cooperatives, townships, and rural enterprises 



 19

3 RESEARCH STRATEGY, DESIGN, PROCEDURE 

AND METHODS 

 

In Section 1.2.3, three questions were posed that this research report was intended to 

provide a solution—that is, ‘What are the economic state and economic benefits of Tilapia 

fish farming in South Africa?’, ‘What are the critical factors for leveraging the economic 

potential of Tilapia fish farming in South Africa?’, and ‘What are the challenges that hinder 

the effective economic potential of Tilapia fish farming in South Africa?’ We viewed 

literature that resulted in an interpretative and conceptual framework developed, which 

guided the techniques of choices used. Chapter 3 identified and described the research 

approach, design, procedure, and methods applied in this particular research to gather, 

process, and analyse empirical evidence. Generally, it had three intentions, namely, to 

identify and describe the research strategy (Section 3.1), the research design (Section 3.2), 

as well as procedure and methods (Section 3.3). The chapter also described the credibility 

and trustworthiness measures (Section 3.4) that this research applied to make it credible 

and the limitations in technical and administrative of the choices made (Section 3.5). 

 

3.1 Research strategy 

The case study methodology approach is an approach used to investigate intensely to 

advance awareness and understanding of phenomena that are not understood (Yin, 2008). 

According to Carroll and Johnson (1990,  p. 44) further elaborate ‘‘for those interested in 

the richness of actual cases, understanding a good story, staying close to naturalistic 

events, exploring new areas and discovering new phenomena, and applying our 

understanding to therapeutic ends’’ can offer an influential illustration on a particular 

social phenomenon  (Yin, 2008). Mtotywa (2019) further elaborated that a case study is 

an ideal methodology to be used when conducting an in-depth investigation.   

The research strategy is a qualitative case study methodology approach, where it simplifies 

the study of a phenomenon within its framework by using multiple data sources, as part 

of ensuring that the subject matter is not explored through one lens, which allows for 

numerous sides of the phenomenon to be revealed and understood  (Baxter & Jack, 2008). 

It focuses on the process on how is it done and the outcome if it does work 



 20

The case study is further categorised into three types according to Yin (2003), which is 

descriptive, explanatory, or exploratory, where this particular study adopted the 

exploratory case study (Baxter & Jack, 2008). Yin (2003) further explains that an 

exploratory case study is used to discover those conditions in which the intervention being 

assessed had no clear, one set of results (Lotzkar & Bottorff, 2001). 

The system of views and assumptions about knowledge development is referred to as 

research philosophy, might not mean intense as a new theory of human drive, but even 

responding to an explicit problem in particular industry research, however, developing 

further information  (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2009). It was intended to gain insight 

and gaining the overall industry understanding. The philosophical research orientation for 

this study is anti-positivist.  Yin (2003) anti-positivists hold that social phenomena are 

multi-layered and deserve multiple interpretations.  The aim is to develop the Tilapia fish 

farm to secure food, poverty alleviation, job creation, and contribute to the economy. 

Have a holistic overview of the industry to contribute to the aquaculture industry. 

 

3.2 Research design 

Research design is a plan and investigation structure to obtain responses to research study 

questions, where the plan is a complete research study. The structure is the framework 

(Blumberg, Cooper, & Schindler, 2008), where there are five generic research designs: 

experimental, comparative, case study, longitudinal and cross-sectional, according to 

Bryman’s (2012). 

The research study is similar to the methodology where it is a case study, where Yin (2003) 

and Stake (1995) further describe different terms to define a variety of case studies (Baxter 

& Jack, 2008). There were six generic types of case studies: intrinsic, collective, 

instrumental, explanatory, descriptive, or exploratory. A case study is categorised as 

descriptive, exploratory, or explanatory and further differentiated between holistic, single, 

and multiple-case studies (Yin, 2008) but is identified as collective, instrumental, or 

intrinsic by Stake (1995). 

This research study adopted the exploratory case study but in particular, using the 

multiple-case studies is appropriate for the study because it can analyse different cases and 

compare within and between cases. Moreover, it is applicable because in the literature 



 21

within the study, there were different types’ of participants is commercial and non-

commercial.  

The study applied a similar research design by   Shava &   Gunhidzirai (2017). The aim 

and to use fish farming as an innovation strategy for food security stimulation in areas 

affected by poverty in Zimbabwe used this particular design methodology to recognize 

the opinions of fish farmers and if employment creation improved the living condition 

and benefited the locals on generating employment, family income and food security 

improvement  (Shava & Gunhidzirai, 2017). 

 

3.3 Research procedure and methods 

The actual collecting, organizing, processing, and analysing empirical evidence used in this 

research study was completed in the research procedure and methods section. The 

instruments of data and information collection (Section 3.3.1), target population and 

selection of cases (Section 3.3.2), consideration of ethics through the research study 

(Section 3.3.3), collection and storage process of data and information (Section 3.3.4), 

processing and analysis of data and information (Section 3.3.5) including the description 

of respondents backgrounds who provided empirical evidence (Section 3.3.6) are detailed. 

3.3.1 Data and information collection instruments 

Based that this study is a case study, it uses multiple sources of data. The research study 

of the exploratory qualitative case study uses multiple sources of data to ensure that the 

matter is not explored over a single lens but instead through various lenses that permit 

numerous sides of the phenomenon to be discovered and understood (Baxter & Jack, 

2008). Therefore, three types of data and information collection (See Appendix 1.1: Data 

collection instruments) were adopted in this study: interviews, observations, and 

documents review that are relevant to the study's research questions.  

The interview guide was used when conducting the interview (see Appendix 1.2.1), the 

observation checklist (See Appendix 1.2.2) developed and used during visits to conduct 

observations, and the document review (See Appendix 1.2.3) was conducted to request 

for the documents to gather more information. The use of document review to receive 

information that did not transpire during the interview and observation and to enhance 

the study. 



 22

The research data and information collection instruments are necessary for answering the 

research questions and be in line with the literature in Chapter 2. 

 

3.3.2 Target population and selection of cases 

3.3.2.1 Research target population 

The target population is the group of participants who are the centre of the study research 

and from where a sample is drawn (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2015). The interest of 

the research study was conducted on the South African Tilapia Fish Farming sector.  

A review of the factors affecting tilapia aquaculture production in Southern Africa by 

Moyo and Rapatsa (2021) shows that tilapia farming is not growing in Southern Africa 

even though the potential is very high to alleviate poverty and food security, and 

employment creation. Therefore, this sector must be viewed as a business instead of life-

saving for survival. 

3.3.2.2 Sampling cases from the target population 

Sampling is selecting the elements in a population where a conclusion can be drawn about 

the entire population (Blumberg, Cooper, & Schindler, 2008). The study is exploratory 

qualitative multiple-case study research conducted on the eight commercial Tilapia fish 

farms and one non-commercial farm of the tilapia. Qualitative Case Study Methodology: 

Study Design and Implementation for Novice Researchers by Baxter & Jack (2008), been 

adopted for the sampling strategy. 

The aim is to direct the novice researcher in recognising the essential elements for 

designing and implementing qualitative case study research projects to allow the 

researcher to analyse within each setting and across settings to understand the similarities 

and differences between the cases. It is considered robust and reliable. The intent is to 

gain an understanding and vision of a phenomenon.  

The sample size was 9 cases that were part of this research study, as Yin (2014) states that 

in the multiple case study six (6) to ten (10) cases are required to reach the saturation, and 

for this research study, nine cases were researched which are within the range (Gentles, 

Charles, Ploeg, & McKibbon, 2015) 

3.3.3 Ethical considerations when collecting research data 

Ethics are the norms for conduct that differentiate between suitable and improper 

behaviour and mainly centres on the standards of conduct of the research study discipline 



 23

(Resnik, David B., 2015). Ethics is about protecting the rights of the participants of the 

research study, where during the interview, observation have the rights that their safety 

are not compromised infect it must be designed in such a way that it will not cause any 

detrimental physical harm, loss of privacy, distress, embarrassment or pain  (Blumberg, 

Cooper, & Schindler, 2008). 

Ethics are critical in any research, and it is the researcher's responsibility to make sure that 

it is being upheld. The picture of the study is partly dependent on the risk classification 

of the study and for this type of research, the risk is low. It is of low risk because it does 

not have a human experiment, but the focus will be on the critical elements. 

It was critical to tell people about their rights, explain to people about the objective of the 

study and after which the consent was requested, where it was explained and that the 

participation was voluntary and can be able to withdraw anytime they wished to and felt 

they don’t want to participate anymore. There was privacy and confidentiality where real 

names of the participants are not used but instead, coding will be used, such as INT which 

is the interviewee as part of protecting their original identity, in any part of the research. 

There were protected from harm and provided the details of inquiries should there be at 

any time I fail to uphold the ethical standard and organise counselling for discomfort if 

there is a proof of that action through the university. The data storage only a few people 

have an access to it and those are researcher, supervisor and the university authorised 

individuals and is kept in a password-protected place electronically base like Dropbox. 

 

3.3.4 Data and information collection process 

Data collection of the research is gathering, capturing, and editing information using 

different methods of instruments that enabled to answer of the research questions 

(Blumberg, Cooper, & Schindler, 2008). The collection process of data and information 

in this specific research study was done via three methods that are interview, field 

observation, and documentation review.  

Conducted eight interviews one-on-one and one that was not possible electronic interview 

via MS Teams was conducted. The electronic interview was impossible to conduct the 

observation based on the absence of physical interaction, but the documentation was 

requested for review. The interviews conducted were guided by the interview 



 24

questionnaire that was a semi-structured interview that was not closed question but not 

opened also in a way structured. The names of all prospective case partakers were 

obtained, contacted before they participated in interviews and other information 

gathering activities, and an interview schedule were used to obtain information. The check 

sheet guided the field observation on information to request during the site visit and the 

documentation review guided on what documents to request to acquire the information 

that was not covered and validated during the interview and observation process. 

The prospect, potential, and constraints of the aquaculture in Nigeria and Egypt that will 

able to meet food security needs of the millions of people in the developing countries and 

the reason selected the mode of data collection is the manager to have the holistic 

overview of the study and able to collect data on other modes where data is not sufficient 

to conclude the results from one mode. It will provide a better presentation of results that 

will provide adequate information to complete the study.  

The electronic data will be stored on the password-protected files and hard copies will be 

put on the files that will be stored on the locked file cabinet. People that will have the 

access to the data only those that form part of the study that is, the researcher, supervisor, 

and the university authorised individuals that will only utilise it for the research purpose 

due to personnel security reasons and ethical purposes.  

 

3.3.5 Research data and information processing and analysis 

3.3.5.1 Research data and information processing 

Data processing is documented in stages that are implemented to arrange, validate, 

transform, adjust and extract data inappropriate results for later use during the 

presentation of results (Chapter 4), discussion of results (Chapter 5) and summary, 

conclusion, limitations, and recommendation (Chapter 6) of the research study. The data 

and information processing comprises of all actions accepted from the beginning when 

gathered up until ready for analysis either manually or by dedicated software (Kabir, 2016).  

Consent was requested from the interviewee to record and transcribed data verbatim. The 

data and information were explicitly described and organise to make sense for the 

interpretation. 

3.3.5.2 Research data and information analysis 

The transcribed data were analysed using thematic analysis based on Braun & Clarke 

(2006) and used the two common strategies of the case study, which were pattern 



 25

matching and explanation building. The thematic analysis highlighted the distinctiveness, 

scrutinised and interpreted patterns within the qualitative research (Braun & Clarke, 

2006). 

3.3.6 Description of the potential research cases 

The research study was conducted on the cases of eight commercial Tilapia fish farms 

and one non-commercial farm of tilapia. The cases experience ranges from a minimum 

of 6 years to more than 30 years’ experience of being in the tilapia sector.  The majority 

of the cases were white African males excluding Lambda who was a black African male 

and Beta who was a black African female Tilapia Fish Farmer. The table below further 

elaborate description all the cases that participated in this research study  

Table 3.1: Case studies 

 

Case 

Farm 

Name 

Area 

Based 

Type 

Of  Farming 

Number of 

years’ experience 

1 Alpha Gauteng - Midrand Hydroponics 17 

2 Beta North West - Ventersdorp Aquaculture 8 

3 Gamma Gauteng - Johannesburg Fish Farming 7 

4 Delta Gauteng - Midrand Fish Farming 15 

5 Epsilon Gauteng - Pretoria Fish Farming 6 

6 Kappa Gauteng - Roodepoort Fish Farming 35 

7 Lambda KwaZulu Natal -Port Edward Fish Farming 10 

8 Phi North West - Hartbeespoort Fish Farming +30  

9 Omega Gauteng - Pretoria Hobby Fish Farming 20 

 

The cases were individually analysed and then combined to summarize the outcome. 

 

3.4 Research strengthens—credibility and trustworthiness 

applied 

The trustworthiness of qualitative research is usually interrogated by positivists where 

Guba (1985) proposed four criteria is credibility, transferability, dependability, and 

confirmability that were considered when pursuing the trustworthy study (Shenton, 2004). 

Credibility as one of the important criteria addresses the internal validity to ensure that 

the study measures or tests what it is intended for, where according to Merriam (1998) it 

addresses the question of “How congruent were the findings with reality?” and Lincoln 



 26

and Guba (1985) continued to argue that credibility develops trustworthiness (Shenton, 

2004). 

Multiple data sources are joined together during the data analysis process instead of being 

individually analysed, where each source contributes to the overall to create an 

understanding of the whole phenomenon and that strengthens the results (Baxter & Jack, 

2008). Triangulation was conducted through observations and individual interviews 

conducted as part of reducing the effect of the investigator being biased. 

 

3.5 Research weaknesses—technical and administrative 

limitations  

This particular research study adopted the exploratory multiple-case study, which is part 

of determining conditions of the study in which the interventions evaluated do not have 

any simple, one fixed results. 

The completion of the study was within a limited time frame. During the COVID-19 

pandemic, the respondents took a while to accept the interview appointment due to fear 

of spreading the infection during country-level three lockdown. Therefore, during the 

interview: sanitising before, during and after the consultation, social distancing, wearing 

the mask throughout, and even wearing gloves. Moreover, adjusting to the new way of 

living was still in the early stages, not yet used to it. Therefore, accessibility to the 

respondents was not successful as it was required.  

Environmental factors, that is, the presence of other people in the space during the 

interview, caused hesitancy in the way other respondents were answering through body 

language. However, the multiple data source collection assisted observations and 

documentation review with the validation and authentication in closing the gaps that 

arose.   

The sample population size was small, making it difficult to justify and conclude valid 

research results; they might be less precise. In addition, the sample population size did 

not represent the whole country. Still, it concentrated on Gauteng Province respondents 

with six (6) respondents, two (2) from North West and one (1) online via MS Teams from 

Port Edwards – KwaZulu-Natal province and no observations. 

Travelling during the pandemic because it was not safe to sleep over hotels or bread and 

breakfasts accommodations' and to finish the study time was limited. In addition, 



 27

travelling would have required more time to collect data that would still need to be 

processed and analysed. 

 

3.6 Summary 

The qualitative case study methodology was the adopted strategy for this research study. 

It is an exploratory multiple-case study where different cases are analysed and compared 

and this is appropriate because there were different types’ of participants that is 

commercial and non-commercial in the literature of the study. 

Data and information were collected via semi-structured interviews, site visit observations 

and document review to gather the information that was not covered during the two 

instruments as part of enhancing the study holistically. 

All interviews were conducted face-to-face one-on-one excluding one that was via MS 

Teams where the observation was not conducted but a soft copy of documents as 

requested. Nine cases were researched eight were commercially and one was non-

commercial. The cases experience ranges from a minimum of 6 years to more than 30 

years’ experience of being in the tilapia sector. The study was conducted ethically where 

the cases consent was requested, protected from any harm and could withdraw from any 

time of the study if not comfortable to continue. Data is protected from people excluding 

the researcher, supervisor and the university authorised individuals and kept in a 

password-protected place electronically. 

The transcribed data were analysed using thematic analysis highlighted the distinctiveness, 

scrutinised and interpreted patterns within the qualitative research (Braun & Clarke, 

2006). 

The research is credible and trustworthy because there are multiple data sources is that 

joined together during the data analysis process instead of being individually analysed, 

where each source contributes to the overall to create an understanding of the whole 

phenomenon and that strengthens the results (Baxter & Jack, 2008).  

There were limits on this particular research study because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 

the way people were answering, the size of the sample population, travelling and was 

regionally based. 

 

  



 28

4 FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH 

 

The purpose of this research study is to investigate the economic potential of aquaculture 

specifically on tilapia fish farming in focusing on the potential available economic 

opportunities and constraints faced by South Africa to be able to grow and compete in 

the global industry and market. The study was investigated using the multiple-case study 

which is a contemporary phenomenon inquiry set with a real-world context. This 

multiple-case study consists of nine cases from different Provinces in South Africa, which 

are Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Kappa, Lambda, Phi, and Omega. The findings 

of the study are presented in this chapter, starting with an overview and relevance of the 

sample, followed by the overall themes of the study and their linkage to the research 

questions. Flowing from this is the findings from each case then the triangulation of the 

case to draw cross-case conclusions.  

 

4.1 Themes linked to the research questions   

The empirical data for the cases was based on the semi-structured interviews, the 

document review as well as observations by the researcher. Based on the data, five themes 

are linked to the research question in the study. Theme one was on the economic viability 

of the Tilapia fish farming, theme two on the enabling environment for economic 

viability, and theme three on the economic benefits. These themes are the focus to 

investigate and answer the first research questions which are based on understanding the 

economic state and economic benefits of Tilapia fish farming in South Africa.  

Theme four is leveraging the economic potential of Tilapia fish farming, which helps to 

answer the second research question, which is what the critical factors for are leveraging 

the economic potential of Tilapia fish farming in South Africa. Theme five is Hindrance 

of effective economic potential which help to understand the challenges that hinder the 

effective economic potential of Tilapia fish farming in South Africa (research question 

three) 

 
 
 
 
 
 



 29

 
Table 4.1: Themes linked to the research questions of the study 
Themes Code Groups Research Questions 

Theme 1: Economic 

viability of Tilapia fish 

farming   

Location-based economic 

viability  

 

 

 

 

RQ1: What are the 

economic state and 

economic benefits of 

Tilapia fish farming in 

South Africa? 

 

High and low Scale 

Technology 

Business Model 

Theme 2: Enabling 

environment for 

economic viability  

Power (electricity) availability  

Water resources  

Feed supply including 

hormones and medicinal 

supply  

Skills for fish management & 

technical to operate 

A system that functions to full 

capacity 

Theme 3: Economic 

benefits of Tilapia fish 

farming  

Job creation for the 

community 

Food Security 

Create jobs indirectly in other 

industries i.e. feed, equipment, 

marketing, processing, 

distribution, and selling 

Theme 4: Leveraging of 

the economic potential of 

Tilapia fish farming  

Low risk specification fish size RQ2: What are the 

critical factors for 

leveraging the 

economic potential of 

Tilapia fish farming in 

South Africa? 

Systems capacity with turn-key 

capability 

Partnership with feed suppliers 

Sell different sizes from pan 

friars and fingerlings 

By-products i.e. tin fish, fish 

fingers 

Timer on the pump 



 30

Feed as natural plant e.g. black 

weed 

 

 

 

 

Theme 5: Hindrance of 

effective economic 

potential  

Imports from other countries   

 

 

RQ3: What are the 

challenges that hinder 

the effective economic 

potential of Tilapia fish 

farming in South 

Africa? 

 

Cost of feed and operational 

cost 

The tedious process to get the 

permit 

Unreliability of power due to 

load shedding  

The government funding is 

restricted on what goner 

Government interference and 

regulations 

Industry skills and knowledge 

Mentoring from expertise 

 
 

4.2 Findings of the study with cases analysis   

4.2.1 Alpha Tilapia fish farm  

Alpha was originally started in 2004 and changed over the 

years, with areas of expertise in a hatchery, breeding, 

different stages of fish grow-out, online retailer, technical 

consulting, design experts, proven farmers, training, and 

coaching. The type of farming is like aquaculture, but here 

we are doing Aquaponics one portion is fish farming, and 

the other portion is growing and producing hydroponic 

using effluent water from the fish and purifies with the plants and recirculate it back to 

the fish, so it the RAS. They farm different types of fish with Tilapia being one of them.         

The document review and observation checklist show that the TFF was viable, with ten 

employees, employing a turnkey approach in executing the value chain, producing 0.5 – 

1.0 ton of fish per month, taking 9 -11 months to produce these fish from hatching to 

harvest (Table 4.2). These fishes were about 200g to 400g in weight and were order 

through email, website, and walk-in with existing delivery receipts and purchase receipts. 

 



 31

This business is accredited and comply with the government regulations and has a 

certification of accreditation and compliance from the Aquaponics Institute of Australia. 

Table 4.2: Document review and observation check sheet of Alpha Tilapia fishing farm  

Document review Observation check sheet 

Permits Valid Permit Value Chain execution Turnkey 

Number of employees  10 Daily/monthly/yearly 

production 

0.5 – 1 ton monthly 

Order process  Equipment and fish 

orders via email, 

website, and walk-in 

Time to harvest good 

quality fish 

9 – 11 months from 

hatching to harvest 

Production schedule weekly schedule Fish sampling quality 

checks 

From 200 – 400 g 

Training records Valid training  

records in place 

training conducted on-site Online  

Dispatch documents Delivery receipt and 

purchase receipt 

accreditation and 

compliance 

Government 

compliance and 

accredited  

 

Certification of 

accreditation and 

compliance from the 

Aquaponics Institute of 

Australia 

                                                                                                        

4.2.1.1   Economic state and economic benefits of Tilapia fish farming  

Alpha personnel indicated that there is the economic viability of TFF, but this depends 

on the location of the country, as there are different markets and different preferences 

from the different parts of the country. In explaining this, Alpha noted that there is less 

demand in coastal areas such as Western Cape, where their market has a high preference 

for salt water fish, but in the inland, there is a high demand for the Tilapia fish.  

In the Cape, they do not enjoy tilapia because they have access to saltwater fish and that is the 

kind of fish they prefer. In Gauteng, there is a great demand for tilapia and able to tap into it 

and there is also future growth 

This farming is viable if there is an enabling environment, which depends on Power 

availability, water resources availability, access to good Feed supply including hormones 

and medicinal supply as well as skills for fish management. In explaining some of these 

dynamics, personnel from Alpha explained as follows:  



 32

The tilapia grows best with the temperature being controlled and that can be done by heating 

water, but it does cost a lot of money so need to find a more sustainable method of increasing the 

water temperature to get better grades of fish and that is not easy. We use groundwater instead 

of municipal water because it has chlorine content, it will require to be de-gassed and holding 

ponds before it can be used which will cost money and that will increase operational expenditure. 

The main highlighted economic benefits of TFF from the perspective of Alpha was 

important to job creation in South Africa considering the 

triple challenges of high unemployment, poverty, and high 

inequality. Alpha highlighted that this is possible for 

sustainability though if there is an education, knowledge, 

and high passion workforce. This is because creating the 

job is important only if the business is sustainable.  

Yes, it can create future jobs but what is vital is the actual 

education, knowledge, and passion. It can create a lot of employment but understanding and 

passion or if do not have the correct people for the job then the business going to fail.  

4.2.1.2   Critical factors for leveraging the economic potential of Tilapia fish 
farming  

The critical factors that can assist to leverage the 

economic potential of the Tilapia fish farming 

highlighted were the low-risk specification fish size, 

Systems capacity with turn-key capability. 

The fish size that we sell depends on if it is the most economically viable because the smaller you can grow 

the least it poses risks. 

4.2.1.3 Challenges that hinder the effective economic potential of Tilapia 
fish farming  

Alpha enlisted several challenges that hinder the economic potential of TFF in South 

Africa being the imports from other countries, especially China. This creates a problem 

for competitiveness, as they have an advantage from subsidies.  

Chinese feed is subsidised, fish farmers do not have to pay for it and can be able to land their 

Tilapia on our doorstep and through Africa cheaper. The Chinese numbers are high and 

consumers choosing frozen that is cheaper is due to the socio-economic situation that the country 

is finding itself in instead of the high quality produced. 

The other challenges include the high costs of feed and operational costs, tedious 

processes to obtain the permit for the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries 

as well unreliability of the power due to load shedding.  

 

 

ALPHA 



 33

If there is load shedding at 2 am in aquaculture have 20 minutes before the fish can die. Need 

to be on top of everything, in touch, and tune because if you are not can kill the fish and the 

business. 

 

4.2.2  Beta Tilapia Fish Farm 

Beta was originally started in 2003 and through searching for sustainable opportunities in 

farming over the years where the first interest was in piggery and due to oversupply of it 

branched to fish farming grow-out. The type of farming is aquaculture, where one portion 

is fish farming and the other vegetable growing. The farm managed to secure government 

funding.  

The document review and observation checklist show that the TFF was viable, with four 

employees, breeding and out-growing fish in executing of the value chain, producing 1.0 

ton of fish per month, taking pan-fries 3, fingerlings 4 -5, and market fish 8 months to 

produce these fish from hatching to harvest (Table 4.3), where order through phone calls 

and WhatsApp with existing delivery receipts and purchase receipts. This business 

complies with the government regulations and TSFSA. 

Table 4.3: Document review and observation check sheet of Beta Tilapia fishing farm  

Document review Observation check sheet 

Permits Valid Permit Value Chain execution Breeding and out-grow 

fish 

Number of employees  4 Daily/monthly/yearly 

production 

1 ton monthly 

Order process  Pan-fries, 

fingerlings, and fish 

orders via phone 

calls and WhatsApp 

Time to harvest good 

quality fish 

8 months from hatching 

to harvest 

Production schedule monthly schedule Fish sampling quality 

checks 

From 250 – 300 g 

Training records No training was 

conducted on-site 

training conducted on-site No training conducted 

Dispatch documents Delivery receipt and 

purchase receipt 

accreditation and 

compliance 

Government and 

TSFSA compliance  

4.2.2.1   Economic state and economic benefits of Tilapia fish farming  

Beta personnel indicated that there is the economic viability of the TFF, but it can have 

the divert source of income from pan-friars and fingerlings and include the crop 

rotation full-scale Aquaculture. 



 34

The main highlighted economic benefit of TFF from the perspective of Beta on jobs 

creation was if there is a slaughterhouse that requires a large number of people to 

slaughter, clean, pack, and weigh the fish, which is important in South Africa considering 

the triple challenges of high unemployment, poverty, and high inequality. Beta highlighted 

that this is possible for sustainability though if there is passion from the community.  

It will create more jobs if there is a slaughterhouse where fish is being slaughtered, cleaned, and packed 

but for now, it does secure food for those community members that are given fingerling to grow. 

4.2.1.2   Critical factors 
for leveraging 
the economic 
potential of 
Tilapia fish 
farming  

 It is to embark on the whole 

Aquaculture that results in Beta leveraging on the economic potential of the Tilapia 

fish farming. 

Aquaculture can have the divert source of income, that is, vegetables, friars, and fingerlings. 

Methyltestosterone is introduced on fingerlings to convert the fish to be male-only sell male fish so I sell 

meat. 

4.2.2.3    Challenges that hinder the effective economic potential of 
Tilapia fish farming  

Beta highlighted several challenges that hinder the economic potential which includes 

frozen import, the high costs of feed, operational costs, and the assistance that is not 

based on the needs of the farmer. 

The government funding is to build the infrastructure every year 

depending on what the farm is short of. The first funding was to 

build the first tunnel, 45 solar panels 2017-2018, then 2018-

2019 the second tunnel and 2019-2020 reservoir. The second 

tunnel has never worked ever since it was built unlike the first 

one that one built by the RAS specialist, the second tunnel was 

based on the government procurement tender process and the lowest bidder was appointed. I have 

the system that has never worked ever since it was commissioned even if I report nothing has ever 

been done. The system that not creating any income. 

 



 35

4.2.3 Gamma Tilapia Fish Farm 

Gamma has 25 years’ business experience on Koi Fish and for the 6 – 7 years back been 

keeping tilapia as a hobby but for the last two years decided to embark on something 

substantial that will generate income. The farm has four shareholders where the two are 

injecting capital while the two Chemical Engineers by profession are running the farm 

full-time basis.  

The engineering process adopted for fish farming 

is that of mineral processing which is the 

Metallurgical Engineering process that is long 

term, high intensity, capital deployment, and high 

element of risk.  

The document review and observation checklist show that there Tilapia Fish farm was 

viable, with two employees and an intern from the University of Pretoria currently doing 

Agriculture in Economics 3rd Year, the Closed-loop for the whole production process, 

and the equipment manufacturing in executing the value chain, producing every ten days 

and 680-gram fish takes 8 months to harvest (Table 4.4), where order through phone calls 

and e-mail with existing delivery receipts and purchase receipts while complying with the 

government regulations. 

Table 4.4: Document review and observation check sheet of Gamma Tilapia fishing farm  

Document review Observation check sheet 

Permits Valid Permit Value Chain execution Closed-loop 

Number of employees 

& Intern  

2 & 1 Daily/monthly/yearly 

production 

Every ten days but 

cannot quantify 

Order process  Pan-fries, 

fingerlings, and fish 

orders via phone 

calls and e-mail 

Time to harvest good 

quality fish 

8 months from hatching 

to harvest 

Production schedule Every ten days 

schedule 

Fish sampling quality 

checks 

680g 

Training records No training was 

conducted on-site 

training conducted on-site No training conducted 

Dispatch documents Delivery receipt and 

purchase receipt 

accreditation and 

compliance 

Government 

compliance  



 36

4.2.3.1   Economic state and economic benefits of Tilapia fish farming  

Gamma personnel indicated that there is the economic viability of the Tilapia fish farming 

but requires to adopt the business model that will start from scratch (hatching) up to the 

customer plate otherwise good as importing the cheap frozen tilapia. 

Strongly believe in the long-term planning required due to demand vs supply and the two 

are at the point where demand far outstrips supply and that gives the demand-supply 

pricing model and there is a significant shortfall of tilapia in the market and have a 

substantial opportunity. 

It is very economically viable that is the reason we injected 1 million on the pilot plant but it requires a 

high technology scale because it is an in-depth technical process that needs to be properly engineered and 

executed therefore it is not for small businesses to operate and requires large scale to be able to make a 

profit. 

4.2.3.2   Critical factors for leveraging the economic potential of Tilapia fish 
farming  

Strongly believe in long-term investments by having 

an approved concept which is the design, project 

execution, and process that is working. This will 

strengthen the process model.  

We are designing the process and tests if it works or not, if it fails conduct the root cause analysis by 

conducting a design review on the proves retest it again on the pilot-scale so that if it fails, fail small until 

getting it right. The process is highly controlled and monitored, documentation to be filled throughout the 

day, every day all the systems get tested. The compartments are insulated to keep the fish warm and 

minimise heating up water using electricity. There is a lot of research that has been done through reading 

and trial and error and is still continuous. 

4.2.3.3    Challenges that hinder the effective economic potential of 
Tilapia fish farming  

South African government is the main contributor to the hindrance of the sector with too 

much interference while regulating from pillar to post. 

Government contributes a big setback to the investment development of aquaculture and they are 

killing the industry. The 5-year permit to have tilapia on the premises with the discretion of the 

government on renewal and no capital deployment can take a risk with those terms and 

conditions. No business can succeed depending on the government subsidy. That is the reason the 

industry is sitting at the level it was in the 1980s’.  

DWAF for water usage licence applied six years back but never even receive the 

acknowledgement response on receiving the application. 



 37

4.2.4 Delta Tilapia fish farm  

 Delta has been established for many years and Tilapia 

breeding for about more than 15 years. Delta has been 

specialising in the hatchery, breeding, different stages of 

fish grow-out, and development of the RAS for the 

upcoming and small-scale farmers. Delta strongly 

believes that breeding is the engine of the process than 

the grow-out process.        

The observation checklist shows that there Tilapia Fish farm was viable, with two 

employees, employing a closed-loop approach in executing the value chain, producing 1.0 

tons of fish per month, taking 8 months to produce these fish from hatching to harvest 

(Table 4.5). These fishes were about 450g to 500g in weight and were ordered through 

the website, customer WhatsApp group, and walk-in customers with existing delivery 

receipts and purchase receipts. This business is complying with government regulations. 

Table 4.5: Document review and observation check sheet of Delta Tilapia fishing farm  

Document review Observation check sheet 

Permits Valid Permit Value Chain execution Closed-loop 

Number of 

employees  

2 Daily/monthly/yearly 

production 

1 ton monthly 

Order process  Equipment and fish 

orders via email, 

website, WhatsApp, 

and walk-in  

Time to harvest good 

quality fish 

8 months from hatching 

to harvest 

Production schedule monthly schedule Fish sampling quality 

checks 

From 450 – 500 g 

Training records no training  records 

in place 

training conducted on-

site 

None 

Dispatch documents Delivery receipt and 

purchase receipt 

compliance Government compliance  

4.2.4.1   Economic state and economic benefits of Tilapia fish farming  

Gamma personnel stated that this type of farming is economically viable because is still 

in the infancy stage in this country even though it has been here for the longest time but 

the supply does not meet the demand it is not flooded. 

There is a big opportunity for fish farmers in South Africa to come on board in the sector because 

the existing few farmers cannot produce enough tonnage to supply and there is no consistency in 

the minimal that they produce.  



 38

This farming is viable if starts correctly from the inception with the support from the 

experts of fish management and water quality expertise. In explaining some of these 

dynamics, personnel from Gamma explained as follows:  

Currently expecting two guys from Nigeria that are coming 

next week have bought the system but will come and spend 

two weeks with us for practical training on assembling the 

equipment and fish nurturing from hatching to harvesting   

There are job opportunities but requires lots of fish knowledge that goes with passion. 

It will create employment but requires people that have patience and passionate especially 

women who have the element of nurturing.  

4.2.4.2 Critical factors for leveraging the economic potential of Tilapia fish 
farming  

The critical factors that can assist to leverage the economic potential of the Tilapia fish 

farming highlighted were to start right and small with training, support, and mentoring. 

It’s the young sector and young fish farmers can learn to do subsidiaries products of the tilapia like medical 

tilapia where it is groomed differently to use its skin for the healing of the burn, fish bones can be ground 

to make fish food, vegetable garden, and the tilapia scales can be used for people that makes glue and jelly 

tots. There is nothing that goes to waste in tilapia fish farming. 

4.2.4.3 Challenges that hinder the effective economic potential of Tilapia 
fish farming  

Delta personnel listed several challenges even the fact that the sector itself is not growing 

including the knowledge of fish genetics makes it impossible to breed and produce, the 

skills to operate the system. 

If there is no knowledge on how to nurture fish and what of fish genetic to grow, they will die that 

will cause failure to the business. The functioning of equipment (reticulation) to understand when 

to test water quality, flush fish waste, and continuously add oxygen for fish breathing. 

 

4.2.5 Epsilon Tilapia fish farm  

Epsilon Fish Farm was established in 2014 by two partners, where one has operational 

experience and the other partners the family invested financially in the business only have 

business management studies from the college. The farm specializes in the breeding, 

growing, selling, and distribution of tilapia (whole fish) to individuals and small 

businesses. The f