Fish Farming in Africa
Simply put, there is money in fish farming in Africa. According to NEPAD, Africa has to increase aquaculture by 250% within a decade just to maintain the same rate of consumption. We shall take you through the reasons why:
Natural Sources of Fish are Over Exploited
Let’s face it, there is no way fishing in rivers can produce enough fish to meet demand because of overfishing and population growth. Many fish stocks are already getting depleted from rivers and lakes and governments are limiting fishing activities. This is good news for fish farmers who now have for making money by filling in the gap.
Governments are Investing in Fish Farming in Africa
The Malawian government has a Presidential Initiative on Aquaculture Development. In Kenya, the government is conducting training as well as providing inputs for fish farming activities across the country. Hundreds of fishponds have been constructed throughout Kenya through assistance to farmers. The Nigerian government too has helped to establish fish farms, thereby creating hundreds of jobs. Similar initiatives are there in other African countries. Apart from governments, universities and nongovernmental organizations are also investing in fish farming through conducting research as well as providing funds and training. This means fish farming technology is going to improve tremendously, providing opportunities for making money out of fish farming.
Opportunities for Feed Producers
Quality fish feeds are hard to come by in most parts of Africa. This means that there is a business opportunity for those who are able to concentrate on producing quality feeds for fish farmers to use to feed their stock. At the moment, fish farmers are mostly forced to rely on other farm byproducts, or try to mix their own feeds. Their ability to make quality feeds is limited by their resource base and skills. In Ghana, the government is now investing in promoting production of fish feed plants for its farmers. Reliance on imported feeds has been found to be unrealistic because feeds can expire before use.
Opportunities for Integrated Fish Farming in Africa
Fish farmers can make money in fish farming in Africa by integrating fish farming with livestock farming and grain. This makes the enterprise more cost effective because by products from the livestock can fertilize and even feed the fish. Some of these by products can be maize, rice, pig manure, chicken manure among others. This type of fish farming has been practiced successfully in Asia but has yet to be widely accepted in sub Saharan Africa. 80% of fish cultured in Africa comes from Egypt, which means most countries have yet to realize their potential.
Supply of Fingerlings for Fish Farming in Africa
One more area that is far from being exhausted is the supply of fingerlings to fish farmers. In Kenya for example, an ambitious plan to construct hundreds of fish farms all over the country did not quite take off as planned because of a shortage of fingerlings. This was part of a much touted Economic Stimulus Package.
Thousands of fish farms were dug but not stocked with fingerlings, thereby stalling the program. This has left billions of shillings earmarked for fish farming projects unspent.
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