By Sarah NEGEDU
The FCT Administration has advised fish farmers in the territory to diversify into the production of other fish varieties beyond catfish which has become popular among farmers.
Mandate Secretary for the FCT Agriculture and Rural Development Secretariat, Alhaji Abubakar Ibrahim, who gave the advice at a sensitisation workshop on diversification of aquaculture production and employment of fish farmers in FCT, said this will not only boost fish production but also the economic strength of the farmers.
Available records show that catfish production accounted for about 80 percent of all farmed fish in Nigeria, making the country largest producer of catfish in sub-Saharan Africa.
The secretary noted that with rapid growth and development of fisheries and aquaculture industry, there had been a sharp rise in the consumption of edible fish largely due to urbanisation, lifestyle changes and medical benefits associated with its consumption.
Ibrahim said though Nigerian fish farmers had successfully placed the country amongst the leading fish producers in the world, it is imperative that they begin to expand their activities to accommodate other fish varieties which would grant them greater patronage and more income.
“It is against this background that the secretariat through the department of fisheries is inaugurating this sensitisation workshop.
“The aim of the workshop is not only exposing Fisher folks to other fish varieties such as (Tilapia niloticus and Hoterotis Niloticus) but train them on effective production techniques for house-hold consumption and commercial purposes,” he said.
The secretary while distributing assorted fishery inputs including fingerlings and feed to 60 fish farmers’ various communities across the six area councils, said the intervention is aimed at boosting fish production in the territory.
He said the workshop was to sensitise fish farmers on the need to diversify fish production and embrace new fish varieties other than the popular catfish species.
Ibrahim said that the secretariat would ensure that Department of Fisheries deployed its technical expertise to follow-up the progress of the participants to achieve the objective of the initiative.
“I want to assure you that the secretariat will leave no stone unturned towards ensuring the success of the Grassroots Developmental Initiatives of the FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu,” he said.
Earlier, the FCT Director, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mrs Ifeoma Okeke, said the fisheries sub-sector contributed to both FCT and national economy through employment and income generation.
She said the subsector also reduced poverty, improved foreign exchange earnings and provided raw materials for the animal feed industry.
Okeke said that over 10 million Nigerians were actively engaged in primary and secondary fisheries operations.
