Government moves to boost fish farming in Masaka

Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries has undertaken initiatives to boost fish farming in Masaka sub-region, as one of the measures to address unemployment among youth and women.

The Ministry’s Undersecretary Ronald Ssegawa Gyagenda says that their technical teams have identified two fresh-water swamps in the area that provide a suitable environment for the enterprise to prosper. The identified swamps include Nabajuzi and Kyojja all-weather freshwater wetlands that stretch between the districts of Masaka, Lwengo, Kalungu, Bukomansimbi, Kyotera and Sembabule.

Statistics at the Masaka district production department indicate that the region has 262 fish ponds scattered in the five districts of Masaka, Kalungu, Lwengo, Bukomansimbi and Kyotera. But according to Segawa, studies have indicated that the enterprise was being done on a small scale despite its potential to yield more returns to farmers.

He says that the Ministry intends to first organise the few farmers that had ventured into the project, put in place proper infrastructures to boost the enterprise, promote it to increase productivity and support efforts towards protecting the environment which is currently under threat by human activities

He adds that they are currently focusing on closing the current information gap on fish farming, explaining that their studies have found out that many farmers are misfiring on the management of ponds hence getting frustrated and dropping out of the industry.

Besides supporting the excavation of ponds for organized groups, the ministry has also considered building enough extension services capacity in the community for the project’s sustainability.

Masaka district production and marketing officer Dr Lawrence Mayega says that the enterprise has lagged behind because the farmers were running it with no financial or technical support yet it requires a substantial investment. He is optimistic that the government’s direct intervention into promoting the business will cut the cost of production, attract more farmers and improve productivity.

But Denis Nsereko, the chairperson of Masaka Fish Farmers Association has challenged the ministry to stop the sale of substandard fish feeds on the market which he says is the major problem frustrating fish farmers. He says that many of the farmers are currently exporting the feeds as the only alternative.

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