Dear Patrick,

I'm sorry it's taking me some time responding to your mail.I've been quite busy and mostly out of my duty post.Really the situation of Nigeria Aquaculture is that even presently it's largely in the hands of the private sector,albeit in a somewhat uncoordinated and largely unregulated manner. People are making money quite alright but if it is allowed to continue in the present manner, the growth may become unsustainable. For example not many of the catfish farmers are taking the issue of value-addition seriously as almost everything produced is sold live at farmgate.The issue now is that the Government wants to tackle the problem proactively by ensuring that while more people are being attracted into catfish farming because of the profit incentive, certain measures will have to be put in place like regulation and credit incentive while policies that would encourage export and even attract foreign investors into the industry are put in place.The FAO just facilitated the National Aquaculture Strategy for Nigeria which will substantially be at the core of Nigeria Fisheries Policy to be sent to the Nigeria Assembly for legislation. This strategy clearly spells out the roles of everybody involved in the value chain.

Patrick, you know even the present 150,000 tonnes of farmed fish(out of which catfish accounts for about 120,000 tonnes),is about one-sixth of the shortfall in demand of fish vis-a-vis supply.We are talking of about 1 million tonnes per annum.The excitement on the increase in production is from the fact that nine years ago,i.e.2002, farmed fish was contributing less than 30,000 tonnes per annum to the national fish supply.

I will recommend that SARNISSA makes available to you the publication under their Market Information Project on Aquaculture Market Guide for Nigeria.It is a very current(October 2010) guide that listed a lot of contact and potential business partners for investors.

With respect to Black Tiger farming and of course shrimp farming generally,it's still at its infancy in Nigeria. In fact the fiirst dedicated hatchery to produce the nauplii was just established less than a year ago with the assistance of a Thai shrimp farmer under the FAO south-south TCDC arrangement.The hatchery is located in a Research Institute.A lot of private potential shrimp farmers participated in the two trainings conducted by the expert before he left, but investment by the farmers in shrimp farming is a non-starter as at now.I hope I've been able to answer some of your question.

Let's keep talking. Sorry I do not have teleconferencing facility in my office.

Thanks.     

 

Tunde Atanda
National Facilitator,Aquaculture
National Programme for Food Security
127,Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent,Wuse II
Abuja.
NIGERIA.
Tel(mobile):+2348035871102

From: Patrick Wood <patrickjwood@yahoo.com>
To: Sanna Sokolow <shsokolow@gmail.com>
Cc: sarnissa-african-aquaculture@lists.stir.ac.uk
Sent: Tuesday, 13 September 2011, 20:07
Subject: Re: [Sarnissa] Catfish farming in Nigeria - why has it succeeded ? Can it be replicated elsewhere in Africa?

Hi Sanna,

Sanna - Yes I do mean Black Tiger.

Isn´t it also interesting that in all SSA only three facilities (in two countries) have EU export approval for aquaculture - lots of packing plants, fishing vessel/factory ship approvals for extractive (inshore) and/or exploitive (offshore) fishing but aquaculture does not figure at all......all three facilities are for high value offerings.

https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/sanco/traces/output/listsPerActivity_en.htm#

In my opinion ocean resources out of SSA are really being given away - instead of being exchanged for a sustainable aquaculture option. The EU´s direction has always been to help in government capacity building, developing frameworks and research (yes research)- and give us your fish (via our companies)!

It may be radical but I believe that every fishing company in SSA should be mandated to invest in commercial aquaculture project in the country they operate in (a mentor or sponsorship effort) - and that way indirectly give something back and who knows, even secure their own futures?

Patrick

    

On 13/09/2011 19:46, Sanna Sokolow wrote:

Dear Patrick,
When you say "BT" below, do you mean black tiger prawn?

On Tue, Sep 13, 2011 at 10:23 AM, Patrick Wood <patrickjwood@yahoo.com> wrote:

Tunde - can you give us figures on Nigerian catfish production? Like how much is produced? How much is exported? How much catfish fillets are imported into Nigeria? 

From what Banjo says about profit and ease of growth for catfish you would expect Nigeria to be a) self sufficient b) exporting its surplus to other African countries.....for me that would be more a determination of "success"  than just an ability to have a production larger than neighbours.... 

I guess all flow through systems are easier to manage than water return systems (an aquaculture technology that is still in its infancy globally).

Where and how exactly is the Nigerian government going to invest in facilitating the development of the aquaculture value chain - are you saying there will be investment in business to be managed by the private sector or facilitating private sector investment or both?

Can you let me know what is the current status of shrimp aquaculture in Nigeria - is there any hope of developments as there is now a captive BT population offshore and the fished product seems to be doing well exported to Europe?

Patrick

On 13/09/2011 15:35, Tunde Atanda wrote:

Dear Will,

Thanks so much for always highlighting the tremendous progress Nigeria is making in Catfish farming. From the response and interactions during the COMHAFAT workshop in Libreville in June it's quite obvious that other African countries can also benefit immensely from Nigeria experience as the flow-through system is not too complex unlike the Water Recycling System(WRS).Apart from Kenya,Uganda is also making good progress in Catfish farming.  I can assure you that Nigeria will even do more as the new Government is now more determined and commited to invest on facilitating the  development of the Aquaculture Value Chain along purely business line to be driven by the private sector.

Thanks.

 

Tunde Atanda
National Facilitator,Aquaculture
National Programme for Food Security
127,Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent,Wuse II
Abuja.
NIGERIA.
Tel(mobile):+2348035871102

From: William Leschen <william.leschen@stir.ac.uk>
To: sarnissa-african-aquaculture Mailing List <sarnissa-african-aquaculture@lists.stir.ac.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, 13 September 2011, 12:51
Subject: [Sarnissa] Catfish farming in Nigeria - why has it succeeded ? Can it be replicated elsewhere in Africa?

Catfish farming in Nigeria - why has it succeeded ? Can it be replicated elsewhere in Africa?

 

 

 

To hopefully add to the forum debate would recommend  paper by SARNISSA members Jim Miller and Atanda Tunde: 

 

 

Publications

 

The Rise of Peri-Urban aquaculture in Nigeria

 

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/earthscan/ijas/2011/00000009/00000001/art00030 

 

 

Also please find attached very nice (although a bit old)  Markets Value Chain Presentation/Report  for Clarias in Nigeria  - note section in the end on potential for tilapia? In Nigeria .

 

 

Videos

Many  Videos on Clarias in Nigeria on sarnissa website  videos page please check them out

 

http://www.sarnissa.org/tiki-index.php?page=Video%20links

 

- see one  example below of many  showing entrepreneurial background behind some of the producers – noting also how it often women who make the best hatchery operators

 

http://www.5min.com/Video/Catfish-Farming-in-Nigeria-444634718

 

 

 

Peri-urban Clarias production in Kenya?

Finally although “the jury is still out” in our discussion as to whether catfish production industry in Nigeria can be replicated elsewhere in SS Africa – the technology, design and management used to develop peri-urban type  Clarias farms in Nigeria – this is now being used in Kenya  where just outside Nairobi   a new Clarias fingerling  production site has just opened based on the Nigerian model.  We await to see  how it develops………

 

 

 

 

 

From: sarnissa-african-aquaculture-bounces@lists.stir.ac.uk [mailto:sarnissa-african-aquaculture-bounces@lists.stir.ac.uk] On Behalf Of banjo omotoyosi
Sent: 12 September 2011 19:51
To: Ololade; sarnissa-african-aquaculture Mailing List
Subject: Re: [Sarnissa] Fw: Freeze the Footprint of Food - Nature piece

 

 

Hi Patrick,

 

I really don't know the history of catfish farming in other African countries with reference to why it has not been successful in terms of its establishment. But, there are few things I know about Nigeria Catfish farming and its success.

 

Public Awareness

Nigerians are sensitive to businesses that generate profit at a very short time. Catfish reaching a marketable size withing six months gave this opportunity, not to talk of the short duration of 4-6 weeks of producing the seeds of this specie and the flexibilities involved in its production in terms of facilities. Imagine some producers producing catfish fingerlings in the toilet. So, "EVERYBODY" got engaged in catfish production to make "JUST PROFIT"

 

Influx of Experts and Non-expert into the Business of Catfish Production

Catfish being hardy surrendered itself to manipulation by the non-experts in its production. You just need to go for a three weeks training and you do it just like you are keeping a pet. Those who didn't have the opportunity to produce turned out to be sales agents distributing the product to "every" part of Nigeria.

 

Population

Although, not statistically supported, only fraction of Nigeria eat the Catfish produced by the producers - fish pepper soup joint constituting largest percentage - yet there is still a wide supply gap. The quantity of catfish produced within Nigeria cannot at the moment support the stoppage of importation as population far exceeds that the local catfish producers supply. So, anyone entering the line of business at any point will make profit.

 

Tilapia  or other species not being able to replace Catfish

Tilapia is very tasty, but no Nigerians want to die of fish bone. Tilapia has bone in the flesh which requires special attention for consumption. When processed, its no more fresh and personally, I will buy imported fish sold at the market than buy expensive processed locally produced Tilapia. Same goes for processed Catfish. This condition and customers perception about fresh and non-fresh or processed fish prevent the market benefit of product diversification.

 

Footnote:

There are potential challenges ahead.

 

From: Ololade <crystololade@yahoo.com>
To: "patrickjwood@yahoo.com" <patrickjwood@yahoo.com>; "sarnissa-african-aquaculture@lists.stir.ac.uk" <sarnissa-african-aquaculture@lists.stir.ac.uk>
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 3:10 PM
Subject: Re: [Sarnissa] Fw: Freeze the Footprint of Food - Nature piece

Hi Guy,

I was about to ask the same question that Patrick asked about the obvious reasons why catfish farming took off in Nigeria and why a similar business model wouldnt work elsewhere in Africa.............? Can you be more specific?

Regards.

Ololade

 

From: Patrick Wood <patrickjwood@yahoo.com>
To: Guy Delincé <g.delince@skynet.be>
Cc: sarnissa-african-aquaculture@lists.stir.ac.uk
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2011 8:56 AM
Subject: Re: [Sarnissa] Fw: Freeze the Footprint of Food - Nature piece

Hi Guy,

There is not enough space and time on a discussion group board to expand on the different business models and different marketing strategies available......nor am I an expert (I am sure there are others who have written books about this stuff?)......not sure what you mean by suitable though - do you mean economically sustainable? If so guess it depends on the business model adopted.

Importantly whatever production model one undertakes (as this after all really a site about African aquaculture producion) success or failure - gauged by economic sustainability and growth - is very dependent on the "marketability" of the final offering.

On your second paragraph - surely smoking and/or drying is just another route to market and another offering.....especially so where there is no ice or refrigeration logistics to take something fresh to a marketplace. Alternative would be no sale at all. So, in that "business model", profit margin may not be as large (but that is mute anyway if no option) but at least it is not a write-off......

I think one will find that if domestic decision makers, with all the best intentions in the world to help develop countries, tried to instigated market protection there would be stiff resistance by the communities that tend to run the commercial import/export trade in many countries in Africa - be they nationalised Indian, Lebanese, Chinese or Europeans. Interests and political will do not always agree.

Can you explain what is so obvious about the reason that catfish fish farming took off in Nigeria.....and why a similar development (or business?) model wouldn’t work elsewhere in Africa?

Salut,

Patrick


On 12/09/2011 09:03, Guy Delincé wrote:

Hi Patrick,

For the sake of the discussion, it would be nice if you could expand on the business models and their market strategies that you envisage or find suitable.

As for smoking or drying farmed fish, this does not consider that the fish traditionally smoked or dried in capture fisheries, is been processed because it cannot be sold fresh; it is processed just before it is about to rot (in the best cases) (even to hide the taste). This fish fetches a lower price than the fresh one. Adding production costs through processing will thus reduce your margins.
 
Convincing domestic decision-maker to protect their markets will be very difficult, unless they have a particular stake in that sector.

Of course, there is a major distinction between agriculture-led countries and countries where industrialisation is developing. The reason that catfish fish farming took off in Nigeria is obvious, a similar development  model wouldn’t work in a country like Guinea, Burundi or CAR (if the country still exists ...)

Cheers,

Guy Delincé.


Le 09/09/2011 20:50, Patrick Wood a écrit :

Hi Guy,

I think that you have mistakenly used a logistics export model for high value game fish (weekly prices, air freight, auctions) that is not applicable to a low cost commodity traded product like tilapia.

The reason Chinese tilapia are cheap is simply because they are exporting to Africa 20%+ water pick up in the fillet using polyphosphates, not to mention playing with the glaze so even the net weights are often lower than stated. Also Chinese producers get export subsidies. So, in a lot of ways it is not about aquaculture at all.

Producers in Africa can go the Chinese way in the local marketplace or differentiate their products (fresh and without chemicals), smoked, dried, etc.

We started South American tilapia exports with frozen to the US but this soon developed to a fresh fillet system as Chinese frozen tilapia made it impossible to compete. 

Of course a methodology much used in other countries to promote local industry (Brazil used it for many years) is to ban imports or tax them in such a way as to allow local competition or encumbent industries to survive. Even the US does it now with the Southern shrimp alliance....taxes are then directed towards helping internal industry - but this takes a lot of political will and probably a lot of mud slinging about denying Africans food security etc......

...........according to Jason Clay this will indirectly happen anyway as producers from SE Asia will re-route products to feed the burgeoning developed countries population and ever increasing demand for seafood.

I guess that the old adage for seafood also stands even in Africa - everyone talks about quality but buys on price.

Patrick

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