Aquaculture Sector Able To Satisfy Local Demand

It is disappointing that de spite having the ability to produce enough fish, the aquaculture is still strug gling and failing to meet the local demand.

Deputy permanent sec retary for Central province, Geoffrey Chitambala said last year the country im ported an estimated 80 000 metric tons of fish yet the sub-sector has the potential to meet the domestic de mand and penetrate the re gional export market.

Mr. Chitambala said the aquaculture sector has the potential to contribute sig nificantly towards job cre ation adding that growth in production is what would improve wealth and reduce poverty.

“The country in 2020 pro duced an estimate of 94 943 metric tonnes from natural water bodies and about 45 670 metric tons under aqua culture, however, the coun try remains a net importer of fish,” he said.

He was speaking in Kapiri during the first cage fish farming harvest at Mukasa Fish Outgrower and Nutrition Scheme un der the Iris-funded Making Agricultural Markets Work Project.

Mr. Chitambala acknowl edged the challenges the sub-sector was facing which include among others, over fishing from the natural wa ter bodies and limited in vestments in fingerlings and fish feed production.

He said to counter the challenges, the new dawn government would ensure to strengthen monitoring and fisheries rc⁷€conservation efforts in the natural water bodies and offer the support needed in the aquaculture sector to improve fish pro duction to about 61 000 met ric tons.

MUSIKA managing di rector, Reuben Banda who was represented by Head Corporate Affairs, Pamela Hamaasaka challenged the private sector to take a lead ing role in providing training and extension services to the smallholder farmer.

Mr. Banda said the pri vate sector plays a key role in terms of extension ser vice support and providing a market for the products and services that the farmers produce.

He said with concerted efforts from stakeholders in the aquaculture sector, the country would achieve much more in terms of em ployment creation and in creased income for small holder farmers.

Speaking earlier, Mukasa Fish Outgrower and Nutrition Scheme managing director, Loyd Mukonda said farmers in the area have the capacity but lack financial support.

He said most farmers were left out of the project which only accommodated 18 farmers hence the need for more funds to train those left out so that they too could gain the skill and increase income opportunities.