Kebbi fish farmer laments inadequate government assistance

What were you doing before becoming a fish farmer?Well, I worked in Aladja Steel Rolling Mills between 1983-87.The company was closed, I returned home and started fish farming. I also went into oil and gas and owned a filling station in Minna. But, my interest in fish farming, poultry and husbandry made me to abandon […]

What were you doing before becoming a fish farmer?
Well, I worked in Aladja Steel Rolling Mills between 1983-87.The company was closed, I returned home and started fish farming. I also went into oil and gas and owned a filling station in Minna. But, my interest in fish farming, poultry and husbandry made me to abandon the oil and gas business.
What motivated you to go into fish farming?
My friend who was into it in Minna encouraged me because it is very profitable, no much risk unlike in the oil and gas business. That is why I am advising people to dwell into it because it is not capital intensive to start with. One can start with plastic container and feed the fish with maggots and one can improve on the activities as you grow into it. I used to source for my finger lings before, but now I have started producing from my farm.
How long have you been operating as a fish farmer?
Well, I think for over 16 years now. In my farm alone, I produce over 20,000 fishes, using five large ponds in the farm. The waste water from these ponds is channeled to my irrigation farm within the premises. We produce up to 50 bags of pepper and onions and on another section we have the fruits farm where we produce banana and mango.
Have you benefitted from any form of assistance from either the federal or state governments?
No. not at all. They will only come around the farm and take data once in a while and that is all, I will never hear from them again.
How do you view government participation in the activities of fishing in Kebbi?
I think government has not done enough in that area even though there is a significant increase in the 2014 budget for that sub-sector to N23 million as against N13 million in 2013.That is not enough to help farmers from 21 local governments in the state, it means that each local government will only get a little over N1 million. Even my own farm alone requires more than that, not to talk of so many fish farmers around. You can’t talk of helping the fish farmers with only N23 million allocated to them in a state’s annual budget. You need to budget enough funds to encourage entrepreneurships. We need hatchery, feed processing machine and other inputs. I employ a Bachelor degree holder in fisheries among seven other skilled workers to produce finger lings in my farm. I also have fish seed palliating machine, crusher and mixers which can also produce finger lings and feeds at commercial quantity if government can support us with both manpower and funds.
How do you intend to encourage the youth to be attracted to fish farming?
My main target is to empower over 100 youths, for them to learn the skill and establish their farms and also empower others. So, it is going to have a multiplier effect because it is less capital intensive like in crop farming.
How do you view fish farming in Kebbi?
50 to 60 percent of Kebbi people are peasant fishers because of the rivers present. So, you can imagine the potentials and the employment opportunity it can generate if government will support the sub-sector with the required funds and implements. This government has even tried by mentioning something to boost fish farming in the state. The previous government didn’t even make any attempt. Rather, it continued to host the world for the Argungu fishing festival without any corresponding return to the people. It is unfortunate that a state like Kebbi is celebrating fishing festival for over 50 years with nothing to show in the support  for real fish farmers. It is shameful that a state that has been supplying smoked fish to as far as Lagos is now consuming imported frozen fish.
How do you mean?
As a practising farmer, if the state government will continue to budget millions of naira on the festival, why can’t it support fish farming. Our dams and rivers have become dry and no fish and that is also responsible for flood disaster.
What is the way forward?
A kilogramme of fish is being sold at the cost of at least N500 and there is high demand but unfortunately there is no encouragement at all. Government officials will just visit farms and continue to take data without any encouragement for people to establish such lucrative ventures. So, I am calling on the government to establish entrepreneurships that will generate jobs to youths. Government should also establish Zonal Skill Acquisition Centres to train youths in fish farming in all the senatorial zones of the state. This can be achieved through the SURE-P funds like it is being done in Niger State.
What are the major challenges of fish farming in the state?
The major challenges, apart from funds, are the problem of high mortality rate during cold season. We can’t also hatch in the cold unlike in the rainy season which offers good wheather period to maintain required temperature in the hatchery.