The Director of Aquatic Food Biosciences at WorldFish, Dr Rodrigue Nouaga, has advised the government to ensure more sustainable local fish farming, which he said would contribute to food security and economic development.
According to a statement on Friday, Nouaga also stressed the need for collaboration between the Nigerian government and a global aquaculture organisation such as WorldFish, to fast-track activities for the benefit of local fish farmers.
He said, “Beyond aquaculture, governments can also facilitate better management of fisheries that have been neglected so far. This will enhance international cooperation and partnerships, as sustainable fisheries management is often a shared goal among countries and international organisations.
“It will ultimately connect local fish farmers with international markets and partners for knowledge exchange, technology transfer, and joint ventures.
“By working together with a global aquaculture organization such as WorldFish, the governments in our countries of operations can significantly improve the lives and livelihoods of local fish farmers, contributing to food security, economic development, and overall sustainability”.
Nouaga also disclosed that WorldFish is managing the project titled ‘Development and Scaling of Sustainable Feeds for Resilient Aquatic Food Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa’.
He added, “Its goal is to develop low-cost, highly nutritious fish feeds based on novel ingredients and enable 5,000 smallholder fish farmers in three African countries – including Nigeria – to test and adopt these ingredients and feeds, leading to increased income, improved food security, and reduced waste and pollution.
“The WorldFish, through FASA, organises training programmes and workshops, through which it provides training on best aquaculture practices, including pond management, disease control, selective breeding, and sustainable feed production”.
