By Nasser Kayanja
Uganda government has embarked on strengthening fish farming as an alternative to avoid depression the lake.
This was revealed by the Minister State for Agriculture in charge of Fisheries Robert Migadde Ndugwa during an interactive meeting with the outgoing Ambassador of the Netherlands to Uganda Frederieka Quispel at the ministry of Agriculture headquarters in Entebbe.
Last year Uganda government through the Ministry of Agriculture signed an MOU with government of the Netherlands through its Ministry of foreign affairs worth 6M Euros to strengthen Aquaculture sector in Uganda.
Minister Migadde during revealed that this project will help the lake to have breathing space from bad fishing and fishing immature fish.
“Due to a number of issues on the lake which go as far as elligal fishing including the use of elligal gears and fishing immature fish and rampant unemployment where people have lost jobs due to the depression of the lake, this project has come as an alternative to fishermen across the country ” he said.
He said that,the 4year project has come at the right time because government is looking at the fallback position of the people who have been in fishing sector.
“We want to work with the government of the Netherlands to see that our people are sensitized about fish farming also build capacity in providing the right fingerlings (young fish)and fish feet “
He further appealed to Ugandans especially the fishermen to participate and support this program.
Meanwhile the outgoing Ambassador of the Netherlands to Uganda Frederieka Quispel reiterated that they choose Uganda since Uganda is the largest in the region exporting fish to East African community.
“Am here today to meet the Fisheries Minister to talk about Aquaculture since it has a huge demand for animal protain to the market for fish in norms” she said adding that Uganda has the a lot of good Cage and pond fishing within the East African community.
Quispel said that the potential of Aquaculture and growth ponds and cage is very large in Uganda.
“I look to forward to develop Uganda in both investing and working together with Aquaculture sector to develop both Uganda economy and Dutch economy “she added.