Apac District Supports Aquaculture Farmers with Fingerlings and Fish Feeds

Apac District Local Government today distributed 6,000 fish fingerlings and 414 kilograms of fish feeds worth UGX6, 453, 865/= to aquaculture farmers in the District as part of ongoing efforts to promote fish farming, improve household incomes, and enhance food security across the district.

While addressing the beneficiaries, Mr. Tyan John, Principal Fisheries Officer, advised farmers to handle the fingerlings with great care during transportation. He explained that the fingerlings are packed with oxygen and warned that any tampering with the packaging before stocking the ponds could result in their death. He encouraged farmers to view the support as a starting point for expanding their enterprises, urging them to work hard so that fish farming can improve household welfare and enable them to educate their children.

Ms. Betty C. Okori, District Production Officer, thanked farmers for embracing aquaculture, noting that it had been a long time since the district last supplied fingerlings. She explained that while other agricultural sectors had continued receiving support, the district deliberately delayed the fish restocking programme to ensure that only quality fingerlings were procured. She assured farmers that the distribution marks the beginning of continued support to the aquaculture sector, emphasizing that successful fish farming will help families pay school fees and invest in other productive enterprises.

Officiating at the distribution on behalf of the District Chairperson, Hon. Akullu Joyce, Secretary for Works, Production and Technical Services, urged farmers to properly manage the fingerlings to maximize production and transform fish farming into a sustainable commercial venture. She noted that aquaculture should be treated like any other farming enterprise capable of creating employment, improving household incomes, and transforming livelihoods. She also appreciated the District Chairperson for championing the initiative that has made the support possible.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Mr. Bua Denis, Aquaculture farmer from Barodong Cell, expressed gratitude to the Government and Apac District Local Government for the timely support, noting that farmers had waited for a long time for the fingerlings. He appealed to the district leadership to consider establishing fish feed processing machines and hatcheries in Apac to enable farmers to access quality fish feeds and fingerlings locally at affordable costs.

The intervention is expected to strengthen aquaculture production, create employment opportunities, improve household incomes, and contribute to sustainable socio-economic development in Apac District.