Fish farmers in Mbale City, under the Mbale Fish Association, have called on the government to establish regional fish hatchery centers to address the challenges they face in sustaining their businesses.
This appeal was made during a meeting on Saturday between the fish farmers and Mbale Resident City Commissioner (RCC), Asumin Nasike at the home of Umarumu Mumbya, a successful model fish farmer in Bugisu who benefited from the government’s Emyoga program.
During the meeting, Magidu Wafula, chairperson of the Mbale Fish Association, outlined several issues affecting the fish farming community. He cited the lack of local hatchery centers, inadequate fishing equipment, and insecurity as major obstacles.
Wafula emphasized that the absence of a nearby fish hatchery forces them to travel long distances, often to Western Uganda, to purchase fingerlings. Transporting young fish over such distances poses risks, as some do not survive the journey, leading to financial losses.
“If the government could establish fish hatchery centers at the regional level and address these issues, fish farming would become more profitable and viable for us,” Wafula noted. The only fish hatchery at Busajjabwankuba in Mbale City industrial division is nonfunctional.
Resident City Commissioner Asumin Nasike commended Umarumu Mumbya for effectively utilizing funds from the Emyoga program to establish four successful fish ponds. She encouraged other farmers to follow his example, urging them to leverage government programs like the Parish Development Model (PDM) to improve their livelihoods.
Additionally, Nasike advised residents living near wetlands to consider fish farming as an alternative to rice cultivation, suggesting it as a method to prevent environmental degradation.
Following the meeting, Wafula expressed optimism, stating that if the government could address the challenges outlined by the association, fish farming in Mbale would experience significant growth and improvement.
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