A fish farming intervention programme introduced by the Food and Agriculture Organization under the Fish for ACP Catfish Cluster Operating Programme is improving aquaculture practices in Gombe State, with farmers recording lower fish mortality, better pond management and increased profits.
The programme, implemented in collaboration with the Gombe State Ministry of Water, Environment and Forestry Resources, has trained fish farmers in Waziri Cluster and other communities across the state over the past year.
Speaking during a training session at Waziri Cluster along Kalshingi Road, the programme manager of VET SARK and facilitator of the training, Mayowa Ajayi, said the initiative was designed to equip farmers with practical knowledge and modern fish farming techniques capable of improving productivity while reducing losses.
According to him, the programme combines classroom teaching with practical field demonstrations to help farmers understand fish farming beyond theory.
Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn
"We teach the farmers in class and also take them to the field for practical demonstrations because fish farming is not just about theory but the proper application of knowledge," he said.
Ajayi explained that many farmers previously operated without adequate management skills, leading to poor yields and financial losses.
Also speaking, Echezona Cynthia Ijeoma said fish mortality rates, which previously ranged between 40 and 50 per cent among some farmers, had dropped to less than 10 per cent following the adoption of improved practices introduced under the programme.
She said farmers were introduced to essential techniques such as record-keeping, fish sorting and regular sampling, practices many had neglected before the intervention.
"When we first arrived, many ponds were unhealthy, surrounded by bushes and filled with strong ammonia smells. Today, the ponds are cleaner and the farmers now understand proper pond management," she said.
Ijeoma added that overfeeding had also been a major challenge affecting fish farmers before the intervention.
"One farmer reduced feed usage from 10 bags to six bags and still achieved the desired fish size within seven months after adopting the recommended feeding methods," she said.
A representative of the Director of Fisheries at the ministry, Fetrus Philip, described the collaboration between the state government and FAO as beneficial to fish production and economic growth in the state.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
He noted that many states in the North-East depend on fish supplied from the cluster, with traders coming from cities such as Maiduguri and Jos to purchase fish.
A fish farmer at Waziri Cluster, Ogochukwu Sunday, said the programme had changed his perception of fish farming and exposed farmers to more professional practices.
"There were practices we believed were correct, but the training introduced us to better and more productive methods," he said.
Sunday encouraged youths to embrace fish farming, describing it as a profitable venture capable of creating jobs and improving livelihoods.
