FG, WorldFish to scale up fish production through research

The Federal Government in partnership with the WorldFish, an international organisation, is to scale up tilapia and catfish production through research in the country.
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, made this disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday that the partnership would promote the diversification of indigenous fishes in the country.
Lokpobiri, on the occasion of a Stakeholders’ Workshop on the WorldFish Nigeria Research Programme, said the collaboration would also facilitate breeding of Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia and catfish.
The minister said that the annual fish demand in the country was currently 3.2 million tonnes while the annual production from both aquaculture, artisanal and industrial fishing sectors was 1.1 million tonnes.
He noted that the Federal Government had directed all fish importers to go into backward integration through commercial aquaculture (pond and cage culture) to help reduce fish importation and encourage local production.
Lokpobiri said: “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will provide the needed material support for the WorldFish Nigeria Research Programme.
“The vision of the present administration is to grow Nigeria’s agriculture sector, including fisheries and aquaculture, to achieve a hunger free nation through agriculture that drives income growth, accelerates and food production.
“What is lacking in the agricultural sector of Nigeria is research and technology and we want to breach that gap with this programme.’’
Davis Shearer, the Director, International Partnership, WorldFish, said the organisation’s mandate was to strengthen livelihoods and enhance food and nutrition security.
According to him, this is possible by improving and delivering solutions to fisheries and aquaculture in developing countries.
Shearer noted that the role of the organisation was to work with Nigeria in order to achieve its Sustainable Development Goals, especially to fight poverty and hunger.
Dr Harrison Karisa, the Country Director, Egypt and Nigeria, WorldFish, explained that fish was an important part of household diet in the country.
Karisa expressed regrets that fish consumption in Africa was not growing, adding that research was necessary to scale up the consumption rate.
According to him, fish consumption globally is growing but not in Africa and we want to help to scale it up.
He said: “Fish makes up around 40 per cent of the country’s protein intake with consumption rate of 13.3kilogramme per person annually.”
Dr James Apochi, the National Project Coordinator of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme, said that the central focus of the programme was aquaculture.
Apochi said the project had two objectives of making agriculture more productive and sustainable as well as supporting sub-regional integration.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that WorldFish is an international, non-profit organisation that harnesses the potential of fisheries and aquaculture.
It uses its expertise in fisheries and aquaculture to develop technological innovations, strengthen institutions and policies to deliver transformational impacts.