The Farmers Development Union and a Dutch agricultural development company, Oxfam Novib, have partnered to boost the growth of fish farming in Nigeria, with the support of the Federal Government.
At a forum organised by the farmers’ umbrella body in the country, the Controller of Programmes, FADU, Mr. Adebayo Olaniyan, said the Dutch firm had agreed to help raise fish production in Nigeria to a commercial level by providing training for farmers and bringing market for their products.
While stressing that fish farming could create huge employment opportunities, Olaniyan advised the farmers to take advantage of export trade to raise their income and contribute to the growth of the economy.
He said, “This programme, held with the support of a Dutch firm, is aimed at developing commercial fish farming in Nigeria.
“We are not just focusing on farmers with multiple fish ponds but also those with one or two ponds. Because they do not have any other means of livelihood, we want to see how we can help them grow and maximise profit.”
Olaniyan added that “there are so many technologies available but because they are poor, they cannot take advantage of them.
“Floating feed is costly for them so they resort to cheaper rotten feed sources which pollute the pond and affect the quality of their production. To address this situation, this stakeholders’ meeting, which has in attendance all the actors in fish production from the farmers, breeders, feed producers, marketers to government agencies, became important.”
Oxfam’s representative in Nigeria, Ms. Evelyn Mere, said the potential in fish production remained untapped in Nigeria because there was no enabling environment.
She said, “We create the market and training for stakeholders to succeed. We also bring in the private sector that controls the market. For the government to stop food importation, you need to empower the people who are always willing to contribute to economic growth.”
Director of Fisheries, Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Taofeeq Lawal, told the farmers that they could access loan facilities from the state and the federal government if they approached relevant agencies as a group and not individuals.
He said, “Oyo State Government is ready to help farmers through Agriculture Credit Cooperative but farmers need to organise themselves. The government is also helping with commercial agricultural loans, given to farmers who form cooperative society. As registered farmers, there are supports from the FG through the state Ministry of Agriculture to create employment.”
-punchng