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Development Sector: Deg Area: Aquaculture Program
An exciting new dimension...
to the NEA’s food security sector was introduced in 2004, under the direction of Dr Mark Frimpong (PhD Aquaculture). The aquaculture program became operational in the second quarter of 2004 and is a pilot project designed to augment decreasing supplies of wild fish and provide rural communities with the tools and skills needed to produce fish locally. It is expected that through this project, Ghana’s large fish production deficit will be decreased. A fish hatchery, capable of producing more than 5,000,000 fingerlings per annum was officially opened in November 2004. Glass aquaria were constructed for the spawning of catfish while the large concrete fish pond is the breeding place for tilapia. The first fish harvest took place in 2006. Also in 2006 a large earthen dam was constructed and this dam as well as two community dams stocked with fish. Fish harvests from these dams were sold at reduced prices to local inhabitants. In 2007, production continued and fingerlings were used to stock the dams again. Fish were harvested throughout the year from the Carpenter fish pond and at the close of the year, all mature fish were harvested and sold, fingerlings were sized and sexed into the concrete tanks and the pond was desilted.
Throughout 2007, fingerlings were sold to several fish farmers in Northern and Brong Ahafo Regions. In the land that surrounds the concrete fish pond, a large vegetable garden provides vegetables year round. These gardens are watered with the organically enriched water from the fish pond, eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers. The garden is another educational tool for the fish farmers that are being trained of the many advantages of growing fish. The Ministry of Fisheries has shown keen interest in this strategic project. They have identified NEA as their sole producer for fingerlings in the three northern regions and plans are being put in place for major production in 2008. They have sent a well-trained fish technician to assist in the supervision of the aquaculture project and the Northern Region Director of Fisheries and his staff provide valuable insight and support to this facet of the work. NEA has also begun negotiations with GTZ (German Development Assistance) to supply fingerlings to farmers in their area of operation. Also in 2007, funding was received from CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) to further this program. NEA is poised train 30 fish pond managers, 20 aquaculture trainers and to stock 6 dams with fingerlings through CIDA’s support. A major boost to NEA’s aquaculture program in 2007 was a grant from the Makbraneth Foundation of Canada to construct 10 large (25m x 5m) concrete ponds for large-scale production of fish. Construction is underway and the tanks are expected to be operational in 2008. This will have an impact on food security and reduce poverty for many through the creation of jobs. In 2007 NEA received the Bole District Award for “Best Fish Farmers” and 2008 NEA received the Northern Region Award for “Best Fish Farmers” as well. Although it was previously believed that fish could not be grown in ‘the north’ NEA is proving that it can be done – and done well.
Future goals…
Only a few villages in NEA’s catchment area have dams that could be used to stock fish. One of NEA’s main goals is to see every community they work with, able to adequately meet its own protein needs through the production of fish. To that end, they hope eventually to have their own heavy equipment to dig community ponds. They have found that the cost of equipment rental makes it prohibitive for communities to be able to construct their own fish dam. However, if NEA has its own equipment, they can earn income from the equipment in the rainy season and use this income to dig community dams in the dry season.