An East African Community organisation has initiated a programme of training farmers from member countries on sustainable cage fish farming to increase fish stock in Lake Victoria and protect the Lake from pollution.
The Jinja -Uganda based organization known as Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation (LVFO) was training fish farmers in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi on the best cage fish farming practices.
Speaking in a Homa Bay hotel during the closing ceremony of a four-day workshop, LVFO Deputy Executive Secretary, Anthony Munyaho explained that the organisation’s objective was to promote cage fish farming in a sustainable manner. Munyaho said, “We are training individuals who will then go out there and train other farmers in the area of cage fish farming.”
He pointed out that the quantity of fish in the lake has gone down and thus could not meet the demand for the East African populace.
Speaking at the same function, Kenya Fisheries Service Assistant Director Christine Adhiambo, echoed similar sentiments saying they have been forced to turn to aquaculture in the lake.
She said Kenya had 5300 cages in Lake Victoria and the department was implementing the requisite regulations to protect the Lake from harm.
On his part, Tanzania’s Director of Aquaculture in the Ministry of Fisheries Nazael Madalla, stated that Tanzania had 500 cages in the lake adding his government aimed at improving cage fish farming by establishing a fish feed processing plant.
The training was also attended by Uganda’s Assistant Commissioner in charge of Aquaculture, Alio Andrew and Burundi’s Director of Livestock in the Ministry of Agriculture, Desire Irutimana.
By Sitna Omar
