Gov’t has constructed 63 aquaculture ponds
-in bid to double brackish water shrimp production
In a bid to double brackish water shrimp production, the government has already constructed 63 of 74 aquaculture ponds.
This was disclosed in a release yesterday from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The release said that the government, through the
Ministry of Agriculture, recently embarked on a project aimed at doubling the production of brackish water shrimp from 250,000 kilogrammes to 500,000 kilogrammes by 2025.
The Fisheries Department, with assistance from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA), has begun the construction of 74 ponds for the rearing of brackish water shrimp.
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha disclosed that approximately 85% of the ponds identified for phase one of the project have been completed.
“To date, we’ve been able to complete construction of 63 ponds as part of phase one. The other 11 ponds are about 85% complete. For phase one we are constructing 74. Persons have since engaged us and we are looking at assisting them with ponds to increase their production as part of the second phase of the project. We are doing the earthworks and installation of tubes to assist with providing sufficient water supply to the ponds. Currently, there are three machines working at different locations to complete these works as soon as possible,” the minister said.
The release said that plans to develop a project for aquaculture zoning both on land and in water also form part of the government’s vision for the sector. It noted that the zoning of lands for aquaculture would allow investors to easily identify and access land.