The problem of local aquaculture did not escape our attention. The government is calling for a massive increase in fish production from aquaculture to ensure protein supply for the population. After looking more closely at the prevailing challenges, we found that the main difficulties lay with fingerlings and fish feed. In Stephan and Frank’s hometown Lübeck, there is a world-renowned institute for marine biology (Fraunhofer Institute for Marine Biology), where we asked for possible support. A project idea then was developed, which we discussed with specialists from Makerere University, among others. Professor Kabasa from the University of Makerere offered us to think about working with AFRISA. A few months later, we contracted the renowned specialist for the breeding of fingerlings, Dr. Bernd Ueberschär. The aim of this cooperation is to develop and implement a project to train experts in the breeding of high quality fingerlings. Dr. Ueberschär very successfully completed a similar project in Malawi in April 2021.
Currently we work with Dr. Ueberschär to create a viable business concept that takes into considerations the circumstances here in Uganda, as well as the needs of the local people. The aim of Dr. Überschär’s work is to train specialists who are able to produce high-quality fingerlings for the surrounding fish farmers. These will be at different locations in Uganda – so-called satellite farms. After two years at the latest, a demonstration plant that is needed for this training process should be economically self-sustaining through the sale of fingerlings. The fish farmers are also to be given the opportunity to improve their breeding methods through simple but very effective training measures. In Malawi, this kind of training led to a 4 to 7-fold increase in productivity!
NSN feels committed to support specifically the development of the aquaculture sector in rural areas. Capacity building is required in various aquaculture-related areas such as intensive fingerling production, aquaponic technologies, feed production and business and marketing management. NSN will seek Private-Public Partnerships to establish a cooperation with several national institutions in order to connect existing and external expertise.
The goal of the activities of NSN is capacity building in order to improve the aquaculture production in Uganda through education and training. The project aims to improve the infrastructure at selected spots, consequently enhancing the educational capacity. Pilot facilities such as an indoor hatchery, an aquaponic facility and a Black Soldier Fly rearing and processing unit shall mainly become an educational “hot spot” for aquaculture farmer in Uganda, who wants to step into the next level of aquaculture (Aquaculture 2.0). Teaching people to grow their own food; assisting small farmers to implement simple and effective technology and providing the education and training necessary for replication, maintenance and sustainability can be a long-term solution to hunger and poverty in rural areas.
In summary, NSN will seek to
- establish a specialized (solar powered) indoor hatchery and optimize rearing protocols, in order to improve the sustainable supply of fingerlings for on growing farms
- support the supply of affordable quality fish feed
- enhance the production of fish by selective breeding and hybridization
- establish an aquaponic system as a template to demonstrate the integration of fish and vegetable production with much less water compared to traditional crop production in agriculture
- to demonstrate IAA system approach to integrate nutrient fluxes between animal and crop production, similar to aquaponics technology
- implement training courses to train the trainers and training for local communities and smallholder farmers, thus ensuring capacity development and
- facilitate establishment of a community networking with relevant institutions to safeguard sustainability of the introduced measures beyond the project´s lifetime.