Business - March 24, 2017

Food security: Chi Farms to empower 1000 fish farmers

Espinews March 24, 2017

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*First set of participants in the Chi Farms project*

A group of 22 women has successfully received training in ‘best practices in professional fish farming’, at one of Chi Farms’ catfish hatchery sites in Sagamu, Ogun State.

Members of the group, are first beneficiaries of a total of 1000 fish farmers drawn from the north and southern part of the country to go through the program supported by USAID and Diamond Bank.

Organiser, Chi Farms said the project is aimed at contributing to food security in the country by increasing the local production of the affordable food.

“The Aquaculture Client Focus Team of Chi Farms trained the women in areas such as pond preparation, water management, record keeping and fish farming as a business,” the company said in a statement released on Thursday.

Chi Farms also signed Partnership Agreements with all fish farmers to assure supply of high quality catfish juveniles, quality fish feed, and continuous technical support.

Dr. Johannes Flosbach from Chi Farms states: “We have visited hundreds of fish farmers in the last months and observed that most of them have pond infrastructure available. Yet, most of the ponds are not in use because farmers are short of working capital, or possibly do not have the professional knowledge to manage catfish farming in a profitable matter.”

As part of the program, Chi Farms will also buy back table size catfish from associated farmers and make it available in major markets. “The quantities of catfish we produce and supply to local markets under this program will measurably increase availability and affordability of food” says Martin Middernacht, Executive Director at Chi Farms Ltd.

The project according to Chi Farms is supported by Diamond bank and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID.

While, Diamond bank is providing working capital finance for the farmers, USAID is providing technical assistance. In return, Chi Farms has committed to conducting significant investments into the expansion of its feed milling and catfish hatchery capacities.