Ssekandi tips farmers on fish farming

By FREDERICK KIWANUKA

The Vice-President, Edward Ssekandi, has advised Ugandans to invest in fish farming to reduce dependence on fish from the lakes.

He said increased investment in fish farming would help to reduce pressure on Ugandan lakes, which are depleted of fish.

"We have all along been depending on our lakes for fish but now that the lakes are depleted, we need to find an alternative source of fish. Fish ponds can be an alternative," Ssekandi said in Luwero district on Friday.

He was touring a new fish farming project run by Sebina Sekitoleko, a resident of Ttomi village in Bamunanika in Luwero.
Ssekandi noted that the demand for fish was immense both within and outside the country. "Therefore there will be no problem of market," he said.

He hailed Sekitoleko for having ventured into the field of fish farming and for encouraging other farmers in the area to join the business.

Sekitoleko said a total of 20 farmers in the area had each opened up a minimum of two fishponds after being trained by experts from Kajjansi in Entebbe.

He however complained over the prohibitive costs of fish feeds and other inputs and asked the Government to subsidize the prices.

Ssekandi advised other residents who have access to water, to join the business and urged the people in the central region to take advantage of the good climate to plant a variety of crops for food security and to boost household incomes.

Thanking the people of Luwero for supporting the NRM, Ssekandi assured them that the Government will continue building social infrastructure including a polytechnic and the completion of Gayaza-Ziroobwe-Wobulenzi road.