Market Systems Integration in Zambia's Aquaculture Sector: A Scoping Review of Value Chains, Supply Chains and Sustainability Challenges

ABSTRACT Aquaculture is increasingly important to food security, nutrition, livelihoods and economic development in Zambia, yet sectoral growth depends on more than production capacity. This scoping review synthesised evidence on Zambia's aquaculture market systems, focusing on value chains, supply chains and persistent evidence gaps. Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar were searched alongside relevant grey literature for records published between 2000 and 2026. Of 652 records retrieved, 563 remained after removal of duplicates and clearly ineligible records, 152 full texts were assessed, and 107 sources were charted through the formal review process; 14 supplementary sources identified during manuscript revision were subsequently incorporated, giving 121 sources in the final synthesis. Evidence was synthesised across six value‐chain stages and four sustainability dimensions. The sector is increasingly dualistic, with rapid production growth alongside persistent structural constraints. Reported production increased from 21,567 t in 2017 to 52,922 t in 2022, whereas the share attributed to establishments captured in Zambia Statistics Agency surveys increased from 74% to 79%; Southern Province accounted for 73% of production in 2022. Administrative and survey estimates for the same year differed by 43%. Feed costs and weak cold‐chain infrastructure recurred across the value chain, alongside reported post‐harvest losses of 20%–30% and formal credit access of 12%–16%. Evidence on smallholder aquaculture was mixed: Some studies characterised it as unsustainable as a primary livelihood activity, whereas farm‐level analyses indicated that individual ponds could be financially viable, suggesting constraints beyond production itself. Major evidence gaps remain in cold‐chain and aggregation economics, gender‐disaggregated analysis, environmental performance, policy evaluation and household production dynamics. Future development requires stronger market‐system integration alongside production growth and targeted empirical and policy research.