How to start profitable fish farming

One of the most popular agribusinesses in Uganda is fish farming and for good reasons.
Gone are the days when the only means of getting fish was by catching it in the local rivers and ponds through trial and error.
According to Godfrey Kigoye a mixed farmer and trainer of prospective farmers, today, the modern farm practice has made it possible to grow fish in the farms and control the input.
If you are thinking of a business to start now, Kigoye recommends you start catfish farming.

“If you are farmer and you are looking to expand your farm capacity, I will encourage you add fish farming to your line of business. Fish farming (especially catfish) is most compatible with poultry farming as you can use the poultry droppings to produce the feed for your fish,” says Kigoye who is also a poultry farmer.

Types of fish you can farm
Below are some of the fish species that are suitable for Aquaculture.

1. Catfish
Even though catfish is not the most popular fish in Uganda, this fish species is by far the most desired. One thing good about catfish is that it is one of the easiest fish species to cultivate. So, people naturally flow to the direction of fish species they find to be the easiest to cultivate.

2. Tilapia
The most popular fish in Uganda’s aquaculture industry, tilapia is a fish species that lives in fresh shallow water. Tilapia is very easy to cultivate and very popular in the Ugandan market. It reproduces very rapidly and grows fast too.

What you need to get started

1. Secure land
Any location is good since fish does not cause any environmental disturbance. Look for land where you can get it cheap and buy. Depending on the capacity you want to operate on, half an acre is good enough for an average fish farm. However, you may go for something bigger like full plot or two if you can afford it probably for convenience sake. If you already have a compound with leftover space you think can accommodate two or three ponds, you may use it.

2. Construct ponds
You need to engage the services of an expert pond construction engineer or you can go to another fish farm to get the specification and construction requirements. The plumbing work must be properly done to ensure proper drainage.

3. Dig a borehole
Adequate water supply is the lifeblood of a fish farm and lack of it may result in a disaster because water need to be changed at regular intervals. Naturally available sources of water such as borehole and river water are the most suitable. Rain water and tap water from chemically treated sources is not recommended for fish cultivation.

4. Overhead tank
This is the water reservoir from which water is supplied to your ponds. This tank has to be connected to your ponds through plumbing system to make it convenient for water to flow into your ponds when needed.

5. Juvenile fish
Get your juvenile or fingerlings from another farm that specialises in supplying it. You need to go for the high yield species of catfish or tilapia and make sure you are getting it from a healthy farm.

6. Get training
Not the kind of training you get from one day seminars; you need to get attached to a fish farm for proper apprenticeship. For you to properly learn this trade, you need at least two months training.
Remember that your investment is at stake, trial and error is not good in business except if you have unlimited funds to experiment with. “We offer trainings to prospective farmers at our demonstration farm called Katende Harambe farm here in Namugongo. We have been encouraging farmers to come for refresher courses,” says Kigoye.

7. Capital
According to Julius Musinguzi a fish agronomist who is also a farmer, the capital depends on the size of the pond or cage a farmer is planning to invest.
“I will cost a semi-intensive system of production where we are stocking five fish per metre square. Therefore, 2,500 tilapia will be accommodated in a pond measuring up to 400m2. Excavating such a pond will depend on the type of soils available and labour costs of the region,” says Musinguzi. He says for 2,500 tilapia, Shs1m or less will be enough to excavate and compact the pond. “Up to Shs6m will be spent on feeding to the harvesting fish, which can be sold at Shs15, 000 per piece,” he adds.
Therefore, you need up to Shs7.75m in capital (Shs1m for excavation of pond, Shs750, 000 for fingerlings and Shs6m for fish feeds) which can give you a return of up to Shs15m.
Some of the extra costs you are likely to incur include plumbing, which will depend on the distance of the pond from the water source. Each pond will require one pegler gate valve costing up to Shs60, 000, an overflow and pond drain pipe/outlet.
Depending on the exposure of the place to predators, especially birds, you will be required to buy a predator pond cover net which can cost you Shs300, 000 per pond.

Benefits of fish farming
•Fishery products is by far one of the most popular animal products in the market, constituting about 30 per cent of meat produce in the Ugandan market.
•Fish is one of the highest source of protein. Fish is a low-fat high quality protein that is filled with omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins such as D and B2 (riboflavin). Fish is also very rich in calcium and phosphorus and is equally a great source of minerals, such as iron, zinc, iodine, magnesium, and potassium.
•Fish sells faster than any other animal products in the market and is relatively cheaper.
•Fish grows very fast as practices in fish farming makes it possible for farmers to increase the fastness of their fish growth by giving them certain feeds, ensuring that you harvest and sell within short period of time.
•Fish is the biggest source of omega-3 fatty acids which is extremely beneficial to human heart; omega-3 helps to keep our heart and brain very healthy. Since human body does not produce omega-3 fatty acids, the only source through which we can get it is by what we eat, that is where fish comes to the rescue.
•Fish farming is very profitable. With proper planning and good management, Shs1m investment in fish farming (cage farming) could easily result to Shs5m of pure profit within six months.
•Fish farm does not cause any environmental hazard. You can setup fish farm anywhere, including residential areas.

Risks and challenges
•Fish is very sensitive to manage and a slight mistake could result in degenerated growth of your fish or even death which may cause massive revenue loss.
•Setting up fish farm is capital intensive; much more than that of poultry and turkey farming. Setting up a fish farm requires more careful planning and much capital input. A relatively small fish farm (cage) may take up to Shs1m to set up, while bigger ones (ponds) take Shs8.5m. “We help farmers to set up their ponds or cages,” says Kigoye.
•Due to the cost of production, fish produced from the farm is priced higher than that caught from the rivers and ponds by fishermen. Therefore, if there is good quantity of fisherman’s fish in the market, you may find it difficult to sell as people would prefer the cheaper ones.
•There is no byproduct in fishery unlike poultry where even the droppings can be harvested and sold to other farmers and make extra profit. In fishery, all you get is the flesh.