Once completed, the hatchery aims to generate up to 100 million Shillings per quarter and 400 million Shillings annually from fingerling sales alone. This initiative seeks to address challenges such as limited access to quality fingerlings, financial constraints, and inadequate technical knowledge among fish farmers.
A private farm is setting up Northern Uganda’s largest fish hatchery in Lira City. The hatchery, under construction at Dewilos Fish Farm in Amuca Ward, Lira City East Division, will have the capacity to produce over 800,000 fingerlings annually, providing essential support to fish farmers in the region.
Once completed, the hatchery aims to generate up to 100 million Shillings per quarter and 400 million Shillings annually from fingerling sales alone. This initiative seeks to address challenges such as limited access to quality fingerlings, financial constraints, and inadequate technical knowledge among fish farmers.
Founded in 2019, the farm which sits on five acres of
land has made a name for itself in Uganda’s aquaculture sector. It has 21 earthen
fish ponds and 10 tarpaulin ponds, complementary piggery, and poultry projects
indicating sustainable farming.
Fiona Achayo Birungi, the CEO of the farm narrates the
farm’s humble beginnings in 2019 and how it has grown into a thriving
enterprise winning her recognition as Uganda’s best farmer in 2023 earning a
government-sponsored trip to the Netherlands for training.
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In 2023, Achayo received support from the Government
after being awarded the Best Farmer in Mid-North. She topped up the “support”
and is now using it to facilitate the construction of the hatchery.
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“We went to the Netherlands and we learned a lot and
some of them is what we are now implementing like the tarpaulin ponds we didn’t have
but I saw from the Netherlands that people are using a very small area to grow fish
and they are just doing the tarpaulin ponds.” She added.
Herbert Ebong, Lira City Fisheries Officer explained
how the hatchery will save him the time and resources of looking for
fingerlings from other regions to supply to farmers in Lango.
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He, however, advocated for government support saying in
most cases his office is far stretched out to help the farmers without resources.
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Alice Akello Opio, the Northern Uganda Commissioner of
RDCs criticized the growing dependency on free aid, stressing that there are
open opportunities untapped. She called for a shift in mindset towards wealth
creation and self-sufficiency.
Relating to the four-acre model, Akello advocated for
a mindset shift towards wealth creation and self-sufficiency instead of donor
funds.
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“Even the young people you employ here, empower them
to go out and start their own so that there is multiplication effect because the land
is not increasing……it is the population which is increasing every day. 10 years
from now we shall not be having land so if we can apply what Dewilos is
preaching here, then how are we going to go empty-handed.” She wondered.
Akello implored the Dewilos fish farm to consider
exporting their products saying there is ready market for fish and fish
products.
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Having been set up in a wetland, Akello promised to
have the “confusion” regarding wetland encroachment concerns raised by the National
Environment Management Authority (NEMA) addressed.
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Other key innovation at Dewilos Fish Farm is the
introduction of organic fish farming. They utilize sustainable feed
alternatives such as Black Soldier Fly Larvae and Azolla plants, which are more
affordable and free from chemical additives compared to factory-produced fish
feeds.
These organic feeds offer a more nutritious diet and
environmentally friendly solution, ensuring healthier fish and higher yields
for farmers. In 2020,
the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries under the
"Promoting Environmentally Sustainable Commercial Aqua Project, PESCAP for
the Local Community’’ handed over the site for the construction of an Aquaculture Park
in Apac district. However, the 40 billion shillings project has since stalled
and the contractor abandoned the site following land-related concerns being raised
by residents.
