07/11/2005

AU Center to Develop Aquaculture Industry in Uganda

AUBURN, Ala. — The Auburn University College of Agriculture’s International Center for Aquaculture and Aquatic Environments has landed a $2.5 million award to jump-start the commercial fish farming industry in Uganda.

In the 40-month project, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, a team of faculty from AU’s Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures will establish model cage- and pond-based fish farms in Uganda that are based on high-quality fish feeds and best management practices for viable commercial production of fish, primarily tilapia and the Clarias catfish. These model production systems, to be located on private farms, will serve as demonstration sites for spreading the technologies to others.

Faculty from Auburn’s agricultural economics and rural sociology department also will be involved in the initiative.

The project’s chief objectives are to increase the quality and quantity of protein food for Ugandans, to boost employment and to help the African country generate export dollars.

“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.

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Bill Daniels, 334-844-9123 or daniewh@auburn.edu

For immediate release