Challenges and Prospects of Small-Enterprise Aquaculture (SEA) for Sustainable Livelihoods and Climate Resilience in Zambia’s WEF-Nexus: : A Case Study of the Lower Kafue Sub-basin within the Zambezi Watershed

Small and Medium-Enterprises Aquaculture (SMEA) is increasingly promoted as a climate-resilient livelihood option in the Sub-Saharan Africa, yet its integration into resource-governance frameworks remains limited. In Zambia’s Lower Kafue Basin—an ecologically sensitive region facing wetland degradation, climate variability, and rising food and energy demands—the role of Small-Enterprises Aquaculture (SMEA) in supporting sustainable livelihoods is not well understood. This study examined constraints, opportunities, and governance conditions shaping Small and Medium-Enterprises fish farming within a WEF-Nexus perspective. Using mixed methods, including interviews, focus groups, and field observations, and guided by the DPSIR framework, we identified systemic bottlenecks and cross-sectoral interactions. Small-Enterprises Aquaculture (SMEA) is hindered by fragmented governance, high input and energy costs, weak market and cold-chain systems, and gender and youth exclusion. Yet the basin offers favourable Agro-ecological conditions, available labour, and opportunities for renewable-energy integration. Strengthening coordination across water, agriculture, energy, and environmental institutions could enhance productivity while reducing pressure on capture fisheries and wetlands. Embedding small scale fish farming into nexus-based and decentralized planning can advance climate adaptation, livelihood diversification, and ecosystem conservation. Key policy actions include mainstreaming Small and Medium-Enterprises Aquaculture (SMEA) into national strategies, improving extension and biosecurity, and aligning incentives across WEF sectors to support inclusive, low-carbon Small and Medium-Enterprises Aquaculture (SMEA) growth.