Aquaculture in Uganda

In 1990s, government of Uganda started promoting commercial aquaculture. Consequently, aquaculture production increased from about 2,300 tons in 2002 to 120,000 tons by 2018. As human population in Uganda is increasing at a rate of 3% per year, the annual demand for fish for human consumption and trade is supposed to increase from the present 870,000 tons to 1,700,000 tons by 2025 of which 1 million tonnes is expected from aquaculture, to maximizing the contribution of the subsector in poverty alleviation and food security in Uganda. In Uganda, nearly 50 percent of its population is depending on fish for proteins.

The annual per capita fish consumption in Uganda is about 10 kg per person which is below the recommended level of 20 kg per person as recommended by the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations. This implies that there is presently a fish deficit of about 300,000 tons annually in Uganda. With growing human population at about 3% per annum, the demand for fish is certainly increasing. About 60% of fish farmers are smallholders based in rural settings owning just a few, usually small fish ponds. These farmers have a great potential to increase the production and should be specifically targeted by measures to improve the availability of seed and feed.

Improving the availability and accessibility to good quality fingerlings specifically to small-scale rural farmers is still a challenge in many African countries. This is also true for Uganda, where ambitious national plans expect a significant increase in aquaculture production in the next five to ten years. This goal requires a sustainable supply of viable fingerlings from major fish species in Uganda (mainly tilapia and catfish).

There is a government owned fish hatchery at the ARDC and about 35 privately owned hatcheries producing about 300 million fish fry/fingerlings annually. Some farms produce their own fish fry. However, to produce up to 1,000,000 tons of fish from aquaculture annually, Uganda, will need at least 2.5 billion fingerlings and 1,500,000 tons of fish feed of good nutritional quality. Presently, Uganda produces 50,000 to 100,000 tons of fish feed and imports 100,000 to 200,000 tons annually. There is a deficit of about 1,200,000 tons of fish feed that could be produced locally to avoid the high costs associated with imported fish feed which affects the returns on investment.

The distribution of commercial fish feeds is also limited to urban areas making it inaccessible to many farmers living in rural areas. In addition, most small-holder farmers cannot afford commercial fish feed and consequently making their own feed which is often of poor quality resulting in low fish yields and return on investment.

About 60% of fish farmers in Uganda are smallholders based in rural settings owning 1 to 4 fish ponds.  The support of these rural farmer in order to develop their aquaculture production is considered vital for poverty reduction amongst small-holder farmers because poverty is concentrated in rural areas where over 60% of the total population live with at least 30% of children under 5 years being malnourished

Although there are numerous opportunities to set up new aquaculture ventures or to improve existing facilities, several challenges exist that limit the realisation of the aquaculture sub-sector’s full potential. Key among these challenges is the lack of education and training, the sustainable supply of viable fingerlings specifically to the rural aquafarmer and affordable feed of good quality.