SDF supports aquaculture development
Fish farming as an economic activity in Ghana cannot be underestimated. The importance of the practice in Ghana has recently been emphasised by the re-establishment of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development by the government.
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Fisheries constitute seven per cent of Ghana’s GDP and employs 10 per cent of the Ghanaian population. Ghanaians consume on average 25 kg of fish per person per year; well above the global average of 13 kg per person per year. In terms of nutritional dependency on fish, Ghana ranks sixth worldwide after the Maldives, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Bangladesh and ranks number one in Africa.
Unfortunately, in recent years, Ghana has experienced shrinking harvests in fisheries, particularly of small pelagics, mainly sardinella and sardine-like species which constitute the backbone of our fisheries.
Contribution of aquaculture
The contribution of aquaculture to fish supply in the country in 2012 totalled only about 26,000 metric tonnes. It is therefore becoming an increasingly acknowledged fact that the need to develop and grow fish production through aquaculture for food security, employment and income generation is paramount. Despite these benefits, very few Ghanaians are involved in fish farming.
Official statistics from the 2010 Ghana Housing and Population Census indicate that only 0.22 per cent of the Ghanaian populace is involved in fish farming as an agricultural activity.
It is for this reason that the government, in collaboration with some local institutions and development partners, has over the years initiated a number of policies, regulations and programmes to promote and develop the aquaculture industry in Ghana. Notable among them are:
• Fisheries Act, 2002 Act 625; (regulates the practice of aquaculture)
• The National Aquaculture Strategic Framework (2006).
• The Tilapia Volta (TIVO) Project (2006);
• Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (2008);
• National Medium Term Policy Framework (2010);
• Medium Term Agriculture Sector Improvement Program (2010);
• Fisheries Regulations L. I. 1968 of 2010;
• West African Regional Fisheries Program in Ghana (2011); and the
• Ghana National Aquaculture Development Plan (GNADP) (2013)
Interestingly, however, interest has increased in the aquaculture business which is evident in the growing number of people making enquiries about the design and construction of production systems, stocking densities for various sizes of fish, water quality, fish health, feeding practices, feed types and aquaculture practices in general.
Building human capacity
Over the years, the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has considered it a social responsibility to help build the human resource capacity needed for aquaculture development in Ghana.
Currently, the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Science of the university (DFAS/UCC) has, as a teaching, research and knowledge centre, responded to the capacity building needs in the country through its undergraduate (BSc) and postgraduate (MPhil and PhD) programmes in aquaculture. Now, the department is developing an appropriate low-cost technology for the breeding of fish and shellfish (e.g. shrimps) of commercial value in Ghana.
The university often conducts these teaching and research activities in collaboration with private fish farmers. This approach offers a win-win situation for both the university and the private companies but one that allows the university to extend the expertise of its aquaculture faculty into supporting the broader Ghanaian community. One such collaborative project is with Ainoo-Ansah Farms Limited (AAF).
AAF is a privately owned Ghanaian company engaged in fish hatchery operations since 2010 and has achieved local and international patronage. AAF received a grant from SDF to install and currently operates a Recirculation Aquaculture System at its hatchery.
Public-private partnership
Through this project, the SDF provided UCC with further financial assistance in the grant amount of GH¢981,815.63 for a public-private partnership arrangement to establish a Fish Farming Training Centre of Excellence at Okyereko in the Central Region of Ghana. The remaining matching grant of GH¢327,271.88 was borne by the two implementing agencies as part of their cost share.
“The university is grateful for the assistance from SDF because the project will support the professional training of prospective and present small-scale fish farmers in fish farming techniques and business by preparing curricula and manuals to train about 300 fish farmers in tilapia and catfish production, as well as develop their entrepreneurial skills,” Prof Nelson Buah, the Pro-Vice Chancellor of UCC commended.
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He stated further that the project would also train about 30 fish farming advisors to provide private extension services for small to medium-scale fish farmers across the country in order to help them improve upon their production capacities and efficiencies. It is envisaged that through this project, fish at reasonable prices will be abundant on the market for Ghanaians, as well as stall the heavy dependence on importation.
The Executive Director of COTVET, Mr Sebastian Deh, pointed out that such a cogent collaboration leverages a broad spectrum of society as a primary vehicle for support to skills and technology development in the country.