Fish farmers in Mbarara district have appealed to government to support them with inputs, mainly water testing equipment.
The call was made by the former LC V Chairman Mbarara District Deus Tumusiime who is also the Chairman Rwampara Fish Farming Cooperative Society, which was launched on the weekend.
Tumusiime noted at the launch that many people in the area are willing to join commercial fish farming but are held back by the required equipment.
The new association according to the chairman has 53 members, mainly women, youths and the elderly from Rwampara, who have so far managed to procure 200 fish ponds in a period of 4 month.
Some of the inputs Tumusiime said are needed by the farmers include fishing gear, fish feeds, a collective store and water quality testing kits.
The kits essentially monitor the basic water quality for both the aquaculture and hydroponics segments of the system.
“Even the pioneer fish farmers in Bushenyi don’t know what it means by water testing equipment yet they are the key equipment for fish farming’’ he said
The chairman also requested the district to provide them with a 200 by 200 feet plot of land to set up a collective store and a fish meal center.
Speaking at the event, the RDC Mbarara Capt. Martha Asiimwe reassured farmers that fish farming is a profitable venture but not easy to maintain.
She also cautioned them not to expect everything from government, noting that whatever they will get will be complementary.