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The Government of Uganda, through NAADS, distributed over 2.2 million fish fingerlings and 58,706 kilograms of start-up feeds to farmers across 22 districts. This initiative, focusing on tilapia and catfish, aims to boost household incomes, increase fish production, and enhance export earnings by supporting farmers with established fish ponds. Selected based on readiness, these farmers are part of Uganda’s broader effort since 2014 to promote aquaculture and achieve sustainable fish production goals nationwide.

Through the Government of Uganda’s initiative to boost fish production via aquaculture, the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) has distributed a total of 2,243,552 fish fingerlings and 58,706 kilograms of start-up feeds to beneficiary farmers across 22 district local governments.

These fingerlings and feeds are part of the livestock materials that NAADS has distributed to farmers nationwide this year. This support aims to enhance household incomes, increase fish production, and boost export earnings.

Dr. Thomas Nsemerirwe, the Livestock Development Officer at NAADS, stated that out of the distributed fingerlings, 1,397,066 were tilapia while 846,486 were catfish.

He noted that the fingerlings can stock up to 500 fish ponds, with an average of 4,000 fingerlings per standard fish pond of 20m by 50m.

Dr Nsemerirwe added that the 22 beneficiaries were selected based on their readiness and preparedness to manage the fish fingerlings.

“We received requests from interested beneficiaries in fish farming, and during our assessment exercise, these 22 were found ready with well-established fish ponds and the capacity to feed the fish to maturity,” he explained.

The beneficiary local governments include Masaka District, Masaka City, Nebbi, Arua, Kanungu, Ibanda, Bushenyi, Ntungamo, Bugiri, Budaka, Lwengo, Luwero, Buikwe, Kampala, Masindi, Kabarole, Kasese, Serere, Manafwa, Katakwi, and Kyankwanzi.

Since 2014, NAADS has distributed over 20 million fish fingerlings and over 700,000 kilograms of start-up fish feeds to fish farmers across the country to boost fish production, improve nutrition, increase farmer incomes, and enhance fish export earnings.

Uganda produces up to 15,000 tonnes of fish from aquaculture, including output from small-scale fish farmers, emerging commercial fish farmers, and stocked community water reservoirs and minor lakes. There are an estimated 20,000 ponds throughout the country, with an average surface area of 500 square metres per fish pond.