ESRF

1994-2017

ESRF

1994-2017

ESRFDar-es-Salaam01 March 2017

Towards Intensive Commercial Fish Farming in Tanzania: Cage Culture and

Recirculating Aquaculture System

ByAbdallah K. Hassan

Economic and Social Research Foundationwww.esrf.or.tz

3rd Annual Agricultural Policy Conference (AAPC)

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1994-2017

Contents

Status of Fish farming in Tanzania Why smart Fish Farming◦ Cage culture ◦ RAS

Impacts of ESRF/UNDP/ Govt. interventions

Challenges Way Forward

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1994-2017

Status of Fish farming Fish is an important component in people’s diet, providing about 3.1 bil.

people with almost 20% of animal protein (FAO 2015) Capture continue to dominate world output but aquaculture is also

growing (In China aquaculture dominate 44 vs 41 Mil.T) In Africa Egypt is leading in aquaculture (ranking no. 7 in the world 1Mil. T) In Tanzania fisheries accounts for an average of about 380,000 tons annually Aquaculture contributes only a very small amount estimated at about

1,200 to 1,500 metric tons annually (MALF, 2015). MALF Estimates that Tanzania has over 23,000 active freshwater ponds

raising tilapia, catfish and trout In 2014 the fisheries sector contribution to GDP was 2.4% Tanzanians consume hardly 8 kg/person/yr compared to about 17 kg/p/yr

recommended by FAO (2014) – there is a shortage of 370,000 tons annually

Tanzania has potential to produce over 756,000 metric tons (required to meet the demand of 17 kg per person + Export) of fish from both capture and aquaculture.

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Status of Fish farming in Tanzania

As seen, the level of aquaculturedevelopment is thus very low in Tz.

Aquaculture developments in Tanzaniahave been mostly for householdsubsistence and small trade purposes

These figures call for support to increasefish production through effectivemanagement of aquaculture production◦ Need for Smart Fish Farming

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Why Smart Fish farming? Development of affordable technological tools have

resulted in having new and precise tools for farming The tools make the farming smarter – increase

yields and profit and reduce the use of resources The technologies allow for the farmer to harvest

and in huge quantities With the diminishing amount of fishes from wild

catch and price of fish rising high, this seems to be a good opportunity to communities around the shores and to Private investors◦ Population growing, fish is healthy, illegal fishing, over fishing etc.

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1994-2017

ESRF/GoT /UNDP Interventions Support adoption and adaption of smart fish

farming through Pro-poor (PEI) and CD-RBMA projects Introduced smart fish farming in the country (JKT –

Suma, Karukekere and Kemondo Groups) Capacity building sessions - Training visit in and outside the country (Ke, Ug,

Thailand, S.A, Sokoine etc. Forums – Dar and Mwanza Online forums, online TV and Radio programmes

Objective: to encourage technology take-up

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1994-2017

Cage culture Cage culture is a confinement of fish in cages that maintain

free circulation of air and water Cage culture has more advantage as compared to Ponds –

No stunting growth, Good water quality, etc. The country is just emerging from phobia for cage fish

farming; thanks to LVFO Partner States, MALF, SUMA-JKT, UNDP and ESRF

ESRF/UNDP have supported establishment of demonstration site at Bulamba JKT in Bunda, and Kemondo Bay in BukobaRural

SUMA-JKT is championing this technology with financial assistance from UNDP and technical support from the Economic and Social Research Foundation (ESRF) and MALF

Uganda reads in cage culture in East Africa – despite the fact that Tanzania has more opportunities eg More water bodies, conducive climate (22 -32 C), Large market etc.

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1994-2017

Cages at Karukekere, Bunda

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Cages

Ideal for commercial farming. Eg. a 2x2x2.5 cage can hold 2,000 pcs while a 5x5x2.5 cage can hold 5,000 pcs. (± 8 Mil. and 20 Mil. Respectively)

Easily managed – feeding, harvesting etc Water moves through the cages so –

water quality is assured - MAJOR concern is security, thus need

for aqua-parks idea.

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Fish farmers (group) mending nets for cages – Karukekere, Bunda

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Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS)

Fish are firmed in Tanks – PVC, Concrete, liners etc. The water runs through each tanks, cleaned by filters

before going back to the fish again (biological and mechanical filters)

Can allow for water to be heated or cooled to create good environment for fish to grow as quickly as possible

Often they are kept inside building/green house to maintain the correct temperature for fish

If well planned harvest seasons can be increased to 3 per year

Ideal for urban firming – occupy small space / electricity Major concern: Close monitoring & Electricity

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A small RAS for training/demonstration at ESRF

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1994-2017

Intensive RAS in Dar es Salaam (six tanks of 15 Thou Lts investment 70 Mil. Including feed, projected to produce minimum of 96 Mil. From

the first harvest (if all goes well)

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Intensive RAS made of concrete, Kenya

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Impacts of ESRF/UNDP/ Govt. interventions

Govt. advocating for fish farming◦ New fisheries policy (2015)◦ President/vice presidents both interested◦ The EA guidelines for cage culture in the offing◦ MALF willingness to issue license for cage culture◦ Regional Commissioners – Simiyu, Mwanza,

Songwe Response from private sector for both cage

culture and RAS – Aquasol, big fish, Increase wild fish near cages + reduced

illegal fishing activities – thus environment protected

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Challenges Despite the growing opportunities, aquaculture

development is not without challenges. The challenges include: ◦ Limited capacity building and know how, which includes

limited understanding of the biology of indigenous fish species suitable for cultivation;

◦ Start up and operational capital constraints such as lack of funding and high local interest rates;

◦ Low technology investments, adoption, and innovations uptake;

◦ Inadequate extension services; Inadequate supply of productive resources such as quality fish fingerlings (seed) and feed;

◦ Inadequate public support and private sector participation; ◦ Underdeveloped aquaculture supply and value chains, etc.

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1994-2017

Way Forward The Government, Private Sector, Financial institutions, and other

key stakeholders should contribute to the growth of the sector. Especially the following shd be looked upon; ◦ Invest in hatcheries and affordable quality cultured seeds (fingerlings), ◦ Make available quality and affordable fish feeds; ◦ Ensure enough skilled personnel for providing extension services, ◦ Provide adequate knowledge and skills for farmers to practice

aquaculture commercially,◦ Capacity of farmers to adopt and adapt appropriate technologies of

aquaculture,◦ Others are: timely dissemination of research results to the stakeholders, ◦ Access of farmers to credit facilities for aquaculture development; and◦ access of farmers to market information of aquaculture products.◦ Create policy/enabling environment to attract investment

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Conclusion

Industrialization goes with productivity growth

As land becoming expensive – climate smart farming becomes a redeemer

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ASANTENI!