Integrating fish and vegetable farming
Aquaculture innovation platform

RNRRS output

• Huge potential for safe fish and vegetable production in urban areas Production of safe and nutritious fish and aquatic vegetables at the peri-urban interface of growing cities: an opportunity for poverty alleviation, food supply and environmentally sustainable greener cities (AFGPO3)

AFG03 had successful trials in several African countries, including Malawi and Cameroon, and in Papua New Guinea, under conditions similar to Nigeria. Therefore the approach is very relevant to Nigeria in terms of enabling fish farmers to effectively manage a scare environmental resource in a country where there is acute perennial shortage of water in rural, urban and peri-urban environments.

Aquaculture training was organised by RIU. The training objectives included:

• building the capacity of fish farmers on the right management techniques to adopt for optimum aquaculture production
• linking fish farmers in the north-central zone of the country to recognized sources of authentic fingerlings, brood stock, and certified aquaculture-related service providers - thereby to address the wide spread circulation of poor-performance fingerlings and the high incidence of quackery in aquaculture extension services
• peer learning events
• introducing participants to integrated fish farming and vegetable farming practices to demonstrate to participants how waste water from fish ponds can be utilized on adjoining vegetable gardens
• sharing useful information and ideas related to procuring the highest possible fish feed quality most cost-effectively - a major challenge faced by all fish farmers in Nigeria
• sharing information and ideas on emerging niche markets in post-harvest value addition, and tips on how the farmers can pursue the niche markets

This integrated approach has enormous potential economic, environmental and social benefits which include:

• income maximization
• efficient utilization of otherwise discarded waste water
• efficient use of land
• self-employment

The approach will also potentially increase the local supply of vegetables to rural households and to nearby urban centers.

The Aquaculture Platform is situated in the land-locked (North Central States) area of the country where mega populations are found and inadequate water supply and malnutrition exist, this technology could lead to major impact on improving incomes, food and nutrition.

Participants at the workshops were made up of:

• small and medium fish farmer
• vegetable farmers
• input providers (including vegetable seeds and seedlings distributors)
• aquaculture service providers
• fish breeders
• fish feed millers
• fish marketers
• representatives of the Federal Department of Fisheries
• Kogi State Department of Fisheries
• Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture
• National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS)
• Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR)

During the workshop small and medium-scale fish farmers were taught best practices related to:

• pond preparation for stocking
• acquiring the right fingerlings
• proper stocking density
• water quality management
• feeds and feeding
• record keeping
• all necessary for achieving cost-effectiveness and economic efficiency in a fish farming enterprise

This training was part of a skills development initiative to enable the fish farmers improve their production efficiency, reduce production costs, improve fish performance (growth rate and feed efficiency) and their business incomes, and grow their livelihoods.

The workshop also addressed the prospects and opportunities that exist in integrating fish farming with vegetable farming.

Varieties of vegetables seeds were available at the workshop courtesy of agricultural service providers. A case study of an aquaculture-horticulture practitioner showed very significant increases in from the sale of bananas, papayas and oranges planted around the small fish pond and watered with waste water from the fish ponds. The yield from these garden during the dry season was significantly higher than from rain-fed gardens of equivalent size in the locality 65 participants at the workshop obtained seeds of varieties of vegetables, including:

• tomatoes
• spinach
• atarugu pepper
• tatasi pepper
• carrots
• cucumbers
• cabbage

Peer learning activities involved group visits to three fish farms operating different management systems:

• ponds constructed of wooden crates with tarpaulin inner lining
• ponds by a fadama (swampy area) with Tilapia and Clarias
• concrete ponds

The strengths, weaknesses and management issues relating to the each of these systems were identified and discussed by group.