The document discusses the opportunities and challenges of aquaculture in Uganda. It begins by introducing aquaculture and explaining its importance as global fish catches decline and demand rises. Uganda has opportunities for aquaculture development including abundant water resources, suitable land, market availability, and fish species. However, challenges include the labor and capital intensity, lack of research and extension support, unreliable fish seed supply, absence of clear government policy, and environmental costs. While aquaculture can boost fish production, many factors must be addressed for the industry to thrive in Uganda.

1. THE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY IN
UGANDA: OPPORTUNITIES AND
CHALLENGES
BY
Mr. Komakech Richard
Student- Dept of Animal Production and
Management

2. INTRODUCTION
• Aquaculture: refers to all forms of active
culturing of aquatic animals and plants,
occurring in marine or freshwaters.

3. Introduction
• since 1950, there has been a 100
percent increase in demand of fish
• world consumption of aquatic proteins
is predicted to rise to 155 million tons
• however, traditional fisheries can only
provide up to 100 million tons
• actions must be done to meet up with
the demand

4. Introduction
• Aquaculture makes an attempt to
protect marine life in order to ensure
sufficient seafood for the present and
future generation
• encourage fish farming
• significant increase in the amount of
fish available

5. Benefits of fish farming
• anticipated that the world would not have
to face shortage of fish supplies in the
next 3 decades
• access to a large production of nutritious,
high-quality foods
• Populations of fish can be very productive
(fish are cold-blooded; they divert little
energy to maintain their body temperature,
hence a large proportion of their food can
be converted into their growing biomass)

6. Introduction
• Aquaculture is the fastest growing
sector of the world food
economy ,increasing by more than
10% per year and currently
account for more than 30% of fish
consumed.

7. Introduction
• Fish catch from natural water bodies is
on the decline world over while
aquaculture is on the upward trend.

8. Aquaculture in Uganda
History
• Fish farming was introduced to Uganda
by the colonial government in 1953
• An experimental fish farming station
was set up at Kajjansi for research
demonstration and training.
• Farmers were encouraged to construct
pond which were later stocked with fish
seed by the government

9. Aquaculture in Uganda
• Tilapia was first used as a species of
choice for culture and later the Cat fish
was used.
• Farmers were trained on fish farming
practices
• Lake Victoria, L. Kyoga, L. Kwania, L.
Bisinia were stocked with fish and
before they were stocked, trials were
made in ponds

10. Aquaculture in Uganda
• Today
• Uganda produces up to 15 000 tons of fish
from aquaculture
• There are an estimated 20 000 ponds
throughout the country
• with an average surface area of 500 m²
per pond.
• Production ranges between 1 500 kg per
hectare per year to 15 000 kg per hectare
per year for subsistence and commercial
fish farmers respectively

11. Aquaculture production in Uganda

12. Opportunities of Uganda for Aquaculture
Water suitability and availability
• Uganda has a water surface of 20% of
its total surface area which is well
distributed.
• The water sources include lakes, rivers,
streams, wells, and springs which are
good sources of water for Aquaculture
• Valley dams and valley tanks which
supports fish farming.

14. CTD
Land availability
• Topography of the land is gently sloping
• It facilitates easy drainage of the pond by
gravity
• A relatively flat land makes it easy to
construct earthen ponds due to amount
soil to be removed.

15. CTD
Suitable soils
• Deep soils
• Clay soils with good water holding
capacity

16. CTD
Market availability
• Availability of national, regional and
global markets; most of the processed
fish is exported to EU markets

17. CTD
• Availability of suitable fish species
• Cultable fish species like Nile tilapia (
Oreochromis niloticus)and Catfish
(Clarias).

18. CTD
• Liberalization and decentralization of
fish seed production
Research and training
• National research stations (NARO)
• Training done by NAADS

19. CTD
• Government policy on modernization of
Agriculture
• Technical assistance and support from
NGOs and CBOs
.

20. CTD
• Integrated fish farming

21. CTD
• Ease of integration

22. CTD
• Fish processing factories
• Fish hatcheries

23. CHALLENGES OF AQUACULTURE IN
UGANDA
Labor and capital requirement
• Fish farming is labor and capital intensive
especially at the construction stage- hence
difficulty in expansion of enterprises

24. Challenges…………
• Subsistence production

25. Challenges
Competition for suitable sites
• with activities like paddy rise growing,
livestock grazing and watering

26. Challenges……..
Research and extension
• Most agricultural researches are
directed towards crops and other
livestock with little attention on fish
• Poor linkages between research and
extension
• Few extension staff and often the large
farmers are neglected
• Few technicians with inadequate
support

27. Challenges………..
Fish seed supply
• Often insufficient and dependent on the
public sector
• Transportation of the seeds to the fish
farms

28. Challenges………..
Government policy
• Lack of a clear policy on fish farming
Donor dependency
• Results in to unpredictable supply of
capital

29. Challenges……………………
Information management
• Fish farms are dispersed, often isolated
and net working is practically non
existent.
• Poor information exchange among
farmers

30. Challenges………
• Poor management of ponds

31. Challenges………..
• Fish diseases

32. Lack of adequate fish production
technologies

33. Lack of adequate fish
production technologies

34. Challenges‘……….
• Environmental costs

35. challenges
• habitat destruction and water diversions
that disrupt aquatic ecosystem
• waste water from the pond pollutes the sea
• salt water from the fish farms may seep into
the ground, causing an increased salinity
which damages water supply and
surrounding agriculture land
• Destruction of wetlands

36. Conclusion

37. THE END
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