The supply base of quality fish seeds in Uganda has widened following the introduction of professional fish breeding by scientists in the aquaculture ponds at the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute in Kajjansi, off Entebbe Airport highway.
The institute has partnered with a Chinese investor to breed Ugandan indigenous fish species such as Nile Tilapia, African Catfish and Common Cap, a species that was imported from Asian waters. The scientists at the institute are still researching on other fish species such as Kisinja and Nile Perch and the Chinese species Gras Cap, Silver Cap and Big Head Cap. They are studying their feeding and growth mechanisms before breeding them for mass production or multiplication by farmers.
To ensure supply of quality fish seeds to farmers, the species undergo laboratory tests before being released to the ponds for the breeding process.
Once in the pond/rearing system, the species are given the right type of feed which comprises mixture of sunflower cake, cotton seed cake and soy bean to meet their various nutritional requirements. According to Godfrey Kityo, a research technician at the institute, apart from breeding the different fish species and supplying them to farmers, his team sensitizes the latter on proper management of their fish ponds.
Farmers are trained on how to construct the fish ponds, breed the different fish species, market them on the local and international markets as well as produce the feeds. They are advised to establish their fish ponds where there is a nearby source of water. The pond must contain clay type of soil which absorbs and accommodates food nutrients for fish.
Farmers are also advised to use fertilizers such as cow dung in order to produce the required nutrients in the water for the fish to grow well.
“Apart from supplying farmers with fish seeds, we also manufacture the different types of feeds both in powder and crystal form which we supply to the farmers. We sell one kg of the feed at Shs2,500,” Kityo said.
Read more HERE.
The institute has partnered with a Chinese investor to breed Ugandan indigenous fish species such as Nile Tilapia, African Catfish and Common Cap, a species that was imported from Asian waters. The scientists at the institute are still researching on other fish species such as Kisinja and Nile Perch and the Chinese species Gras Cap, Silver Cap and Big Head Cap. They are studying their feeding and growth mechanisms before breeding them for mass production or multiplication by farmers.
To ensure supply of quality fish seeds to farmers, the species undergo laboratory tests before being released to the ponds for the breeding process.
Once in the pond/rearing system, the species are given the right type of feed which comprises mixture of sunflower cake, cotton seed cake and soy bean to meet their various nutritional requirements. According to Godfrey Kityo, a research technician at the institute, apart from breeding the different fish species and supplying them to farmers, his team sensitizes the latter on proper management of their fish ponds.
Farmers are trained on how to construct the fish ponds, breed the different fish species, market them on the local and international markets as well as produce the feeds. They are advised to establish their fish ponds where there is a nearby source of water. The pond must contain clay type of soil which absorbs and accommodates food nutrients for fish.
Farmers are also advised to use fertilizers such as cow dung in order to produce the required nutrients in the water for the fish to grow well.
“Apart from supplying farmers with fish seeds, we also manufacture the different types of feeds both in powder and crystal form which we supply to the farmers. We sell one kg of the feed at Shs2,500,” Kityo said.
Read more HERE.
The Aquaculturists
This blog is maintained by The Aquaculturists staff and is supported by the
magazine International Aquafeed which is published by Perendale Publishers Ltd
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