Meeting the Challenges of the 21st Century

AU Center Helping Develop Uganda's Aquaculture Industry

AU’s Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures and their global arm, the International Center for Aquaculture and Aquatic Environments, assist in the sustainable development of aquatic resources worldwide and are leading an effort in Uganda to increase the quality and quantity of food protein, boost employment and help the African country generate export income.

A 40-month project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development in Uganda and led by AU fisheries faculty has created model cage- and pond-based fish production systems on private fish farms in Uganda.  The goal is to increase commercial fish production—especially tilapia and African catfish—through feed development and better management practices. These model systems demonstrate what can be done so that the techniques and technologies can be passed on to others.

“This is a very significant project and will be instrumental in establishing the infrastructure so that an aquaculture industry can grow and thrive in Uganda,” Bill Daniels, AU fisheries associate professor and campus coordinator of the project, said.

Fish consumption is high and demand is increasing in Uganda, but the vast majority of the supply for both domestic consumption and export is natural catch from the country’s lakes and rivers. With that supply threatened by increased pollution and unsustainable fishing practices, a conversion to fish farming, or aquaculture, is crucial.

A major hurdle to the establishment of an aquaculture industry in Uganda is the lack of local, high-quality fish feed, Daniels said.

“Fish require a top-quality, nutritionally complete and balanced diet to grow rapidly and remain healthy, so local feed production is critical to the overall success and sustainability of an aquaculture industry in Uganda,” Daniels said. “During the first two years of the project, we will be working to facilitate the transfer of feed production technologies, using locally available materials, to local businesses, especially current manufacturers of other animal feed.”

Meanwhile, the project will import soybean-based feeds to demonstrate their value to farmers, he said.

AU fisheries research associate Karen Veverica has moved to Uganda and will oversee the project there and serve as chief of party as well as the technical expert on pond construction and management and fish production. Veverica has 25 years’ experience in aquaculture, 15 of those spent full time in Africa. She will be supported by two Ugandan fisheries experts, staff from the Ugandan Fisheries Resources Research Institute and faculty from Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

The International Center for Aquaculture and Aquatic Environments, based in AU’s College of Agriculture, exists primarily to improve the quality of life of people worldwide by facilitating the sustainable development of aquatic resources. Since its establishment in 1970, the center has been active in 120 countries, accruing more than 125 person-years of experience and has been awarded more than $25 million in contracts and grants.

The center and the AU Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures have been involved in aquaculture development in Uganda since 1999. Faculty from Auburn’s agricultural economics and rural sociology department also will be involved in the initiative.