RIU Fish Farming Platform members spread the word
8 December 2010
Nobel Moyo writes:
We have recently being reviewing the progress of some of the members of the fish farms supported by RIU Malawi.
Nobel Moyo writes:
We have recently being reviewing the progress of some of the members of the fish farms supported by RIU Malawi.
Andrew Gama owns 11 fish ponds and has been in the business since the late 1980s. He told me recently how he has trained some 70 fish farmers in Nkhata Bay area. Many of them have formed smaller clubs because it is easier to work as a group than an individual.
For his part Mr Gama informed me he was making over Kwacha 6 million (approximately US$ 40,000) a year from fish sales.
Mrs Laines Chavula has been farming for years but about six years ago she diversified into fish farming business. Mrs Chavula was the only female hatchery operator we identified for financial and technical assistance from RIU via the Fish Farming Platform.
She told me she started fish farming because she could not find good supplies of fish to feed her family. Over time she saw that it could be a lucrative business and she was linked to the Department of Fisheries who also helped her to improve her fish farming.
She is now earning over Kwacha 1.2 million (US$ 8,000) a year from the sales of both table fish and fingerings. She is also something of a role model and estimates that she has helped around 50 farmers within her locality. Some visit her farm to learn how she is managing fish and also to learn new skills.
She told me if RIU can help us with the training then many farmers in Malawi will make lots of cash from fish farming.
However, despite this interest from farmers and the demand for fish, there are real issues facing the farmers. Mrs Chavula identified periodic water shortage and a lack of feeds.
Earlier this year, RIU Malawi brokered a meeting between many of the key people responsible for the national policy. The Director of Fisheries was accompanied by the Deputy Director (Planning and Evaluation), Head of the National Aquaculture Centre and the Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Aquaculture Development (PIAD). RIU also ensure that officials from the Aquaculture Department of Bunda College were present.
The result was the formation of a task-force on fish feed prices and plans to share ideas on the draft manual being produced by the Fish Farming Platform.
This was the first meeting of its kind. It gave us the chance to explain the progress to date of the Fish Farming Platform. There were issues that the platform wanted to discuss.
We tried to explore what synergies could be created between the Fish Farming Platform and PIAD, especially in relation to the new private sector hatcheries which have been encouraged by the platform, and which can supply fingerlings.
The Director of Fisheries was impressed with the way the platform had facilitated access to fish fingerlings of improved strain. He explained that they were raising demand for fingerlings of improved strains suitable for ponds. However, he did suggest the new and expanded private sector hatcheries should keep in contact with the National Aquaculture Centre to ensure they maintained quality.
He was also really impressed that the platform had all the important stakeholders in the sector working together, especially in relation to our work on drafting a manual and standards for the production of fingerlings.
Action points included:
So, we are heeding the advice of fish farmers and trying to affect changes which will support the long-term future of the sector.
For his part Mr Gama informed me he was making over Kwacha 6 million (approximately US$ 40,000) a year from fish sales.
Mrs Laines Chavula has been farming for years but about six years ago she diversified into fish farming business. Mrs Chavula was the only female hatchery operator we identified for financial and technical assistance from RIU via the Fish Farming Platform.
She told me she started fish farming because she could not find good supplies of fish to feed her family. Over time she saw that it could be a lucrative business and she was linked to the Department of Fisheries who also helped her to improve her fish farming.
She is now earning over Kwacha 1.2 million (US$ 8,000) a year from the sales of both table fish and fingerings. She is also something of a role model and estimates that she has helped around 50 farmers within her locality. Some visit her farm to learn how she is managing fish and also to learn new skills.
She told me if RIU can help us with the training then many farmers in Malawi will make lots of cash from fish farming.
However, despite this interest from farmers and the demand for fish, there are real issues facing the farmers. Mrs Chavula identified periodic water shortage and a lack of feeds.
Earlier this year, RIU Malawi brokered a meeting between many of the key people responsible for the national policy. The Director of Fisheries was accompanied by the Deputy Director (Planning and Evaluation), Head of the National Aquaculture Centre and the Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Aquaculture Development (PIAD). RIU also ensure that officials from the Aquaculture Department of Bunda College were present.
The result was the formation of a task-force on fish feed prices and plans to share ideas on the draft manual being produced by the Fish Farming Platform.
This was the first meeting of its kind. It gave us the chance to explain the progress to date of the Fish Farming Platform. There were issues that the platform wanted to discuss.
We tried to explore what synergies could be created between the Fish Farming Platform and PIAD, especially in relation to the new private sector hatcheries which have been encouraged by the platform, and which can supply fingerlings.
The Director of Fisheries was impressed with the way the platform had facilitated access to fish fingerlings of improved strain. He explained that they were raising demand for fingerlings of improved strains suitable for ponds. However, he did suggest the new and expanded private sector hatcheries should keep in contact with the National Aquaculture Centre to ensure they maintained quality.
He was also really impressed that the platform had all the important stakeholders in the sector working together, especially in relation to our work on drafting a manual and standards for the production of fingerlings.
Action points included:
- The formation of a task force to start working on the availability of affordable feed. The group is drawn from:
- C-Fish Project (that has already been working on fish feed trials)
- a senior chemist from Bunda College
- Head of National Aquaculture Centre (NAC)
- The task force will be accountable to the Fish Farming Platform
- Better communication and interaction between PIAD, the Department and the Platform
- A follow- up meeting between the Platform and the Director once work had been completed on the Manual on hatchery standards and Guidelines for production of fingerlings.
So, we are heeding the advice of fish farmers and trying to affect changes which will support the long-term future of the sector.
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