Fish farming push gains ground in Busoga

The government has stepped up efforts to promote fish farming in Busoga, sending 60 model farmers to Kenya for hands-on training as part of a broader push to help households in the region earn more from alternative agricultural enterprises beyond sugarcane.

The delegation travelled on May 23 for a three-day benchmarking study at Fish Farm Paradise and Resort in Kamulu, Machakos, near Nairobi, according to a statement from the Presidential Press Unit released at the Uganda Media Centre on May 25.

The visit focused on modern fish and livestock farming techniques, with Ugandan farmers learning practical methods in fish hatchery management, pond production, fish feeding and water recycling.

This initiative reflects a bigger economic conversation already taking shape in Busoga.
For years, sugarcane has remained one of the region’s dominant cash crops.

However, government officials have increasingly encouraged communities to diversify income sources amid growing pressure to strengthen household earnings and reduce overdependence on a single crop.

Fish farming is emerging as one of the alternatives receiving strong backing.

President Yoweri Museveni has repeatedly promoted enterprise diversification in Busoga, encouraging farmers to explore fish farming, poultry, cocoa and dairy alongside traditional activities such as sugarcane growing and fishing on the lakes.

Officials say the approach is intended to increase incomes while making better use of available land and natural resources.

Florence Mutyabule, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Poverty Alleviation in Busoga and leader of the delegation, said the timing of the study visit was important as the region looks for more profitable and sustainable livelihood options.

“The strategy is working so well. Fish farming will help Busoga fight poverty,” she said.
“Busoga is surrounded by water bodies such as Lake Victoria, so we have all the natural resources that could support us in fish farming.”

Her comments point to one of the region’s biggest advantages.

Busoga already sits near major water sources, which gives fish farming natural potential if supported with the right infrastructure, skills and access to markets.

Mutyabule also linked the initiative to environmental concerns, saying the President has consistently encouraged the productive yet careful use of wetlands, particularly fish farming along wetland edges.

That balances income generation with wetland conservation remains a growing challenge in several districts.

At the Kenyan farm, the delegation toured fish hatcheries, tilapia and catfish ponds and a hospitality facility built alongside the farm.

Mutyabule praised the model. “He utilised the wetland so well by setting up fish hatchery and ponds of catfish, tilapia and a recreation centre. He is getting a lot of money from fish and hospitality,” she said.

“If we get such ventures in Busoga, we shall be able to create wealth.”

She also called for a fish holding centre in Busoga to help farmers store fish and improve market access.

The holding centre is important because fish often become difficult to sell at the right time, especially where storage and buyer networks are limited.

Stanley Mworia, Chief Executive Officer of the Aquaculture Association of Kenya, guided the farmers through the technical side of the operation.

“Here we have ponds and hatchery with modern technology. Each pond can accommodate 3,000 fish,” he said.

He explained that the farm uses holding tanks backed by electricity, solar power and generators to maintain stable aeration and protect fish.

“If you’re a fish farmer, if a fish is of age and doesn’t have a market, you stay with your fish until you get a market,” he said.

“With the holding tank, we are able to collect fish all over the country, which we later sell.”

He added that the facility can produce 500,000 fish per month.

Farmers from Busoga said the visit gave them practical lessons they hope to apply back home.

Jacob Kazindura, a model farmer from Jinja, said the training introduced him to more efficient fish and dairy farming methods.

“I have been equipped with modern methods of fish and dairy farming,” he said, adding, “I have been trained on how to recycle the water in order to keep the fish safe.”