Fish production receives boost as APPEALS supports farmers with technology

Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency in fish production has received a boost as Lagos Agro-Processing, Productivity Enhancement, and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS) – a World Bank-assisted project is supporting farmers in the state with the construction of cages using barrier boom to eliminate suffocation and fish kill in the water bodies.

Oluranti Sagoe-Ovievo, Lagos State project coordinator, APPEALS made this known during a monitoring exercise of projects supported by APPEALS in Agbowa, Igbodu, and Epe areas of the state.

“There is water hyacinth in the water bodies and this brings about fish kill. We demonstrated some technology and taught the farmers how to construct cages using a barrier boom,” Sagoe-Ovievo said.

“The boom will not allow the water hyacinths to have access into the cages, thereby eliminating suffocation and fish kill in our water bodies,” she further said.

She noted that the water hyacinth is currently being harvested and converted to fertiliser that is used by rice and ugu farmers as organic fertlisers for the cultivation of their crops.

She said that the APPEALS project has supported two groups of 10 members with cage culture and barrier boom in the area to enhance their productivity, noting that many Nigerians consumed unwholesome imported frozen Tilapia.

She said that with the support the project is providing, residents of the state would have access to fresh and wholesome Tilapia fish.

Sagoe-Ovievo noted that Lagos has the potential and comparative advantage in fish production owing to the numerous water bodies in the state.

“We have the market for fresh Tilapia. Most people buy frozen Tilapia that is imported and these fishes are unwholesome because it has been preserved and kept in the cold-room for a very long time. We have the environment and the wherewithal to produce our Tilapia,” she said.

Also, she hinted that the project is working with scientists to develop a technology that will provide a substitute for maize in poultry feeds to support farmers.

Feeds constitute 70 percent of the total cost of poultry production and providing alternative will help drive down the cost of production and boost productivity, she said.

Aderemo Mosuru Adeniran a fish farmer and beneficiary of the initiative appreciated the Lagos state government and APPEALS for their support in providing them with technology to address some of the issues limiting their productivity.

“Apart from the barrier boom, the APPEALS project supported us with 10 cages, 400 bags of feeds and 15,000 all-male tilapias,” he said.

“They have helped us address the issue of water hyacinth which has been a major problem for us,” he added.

Similarly, Olaoluwa Falade, the president, God’s Own Commercial Poultry Cams Limited in Igbodu, Epe appreciated the Lagos state government and APPEALS project for their support.

“The APPEALS project supported us with 7,700 day-old chicks, 1078 bags of 250kg pelletised broiler starter feeds, 539 bags of 25kg pelletised broilers finisher feeds, medications and 11 pieces of 500-litre water tank. This has helped in boosting our production,” Falade said.