Dear Mr Atanda and all,
I cannot agree with you more, for once the Nigerian
entire aquaculture value chain is strengthened, particularly
bringing the private investors on board, tremendous progress
will be made and other culturable fishes can also be brought
into focus. There are a number of possible value chain actions
that we will however need to take into consideration from the
one end of the chain in the increase of production by the fish
farmers at the bottom end to the consumers at the other end.
The economies of scale, the marketing (we had been discussing
the adoption of the use of ict information systems: gsm in
earlier discussions on this forum), the infrastructure,
transport improvement, energy etc, access to single digit
funds, building up of the capacities of the fisherfolks (fish
farmers, fish processors etc), organising them into viable
groups and maximally utilising the established NGOs,
associations and cooperatives for bulk purchases/cost sharing
will in no time catapult the aquaculture in Nigeria into
greater heights. That is with total dedication and commitment
to regarding aquaculture purely as a business now, no longer
waiting for the government for everything or for "handouts" as
a friend in a foreign agency succinctly put it to me tongue in
cheek, but recognising that the business of aquaculture is a
profitable and viable business and presently in the world, the
fastest growing emergent industry.
One thing I know and am confident about
Nigerians is that once we understand something that we are
taught, we usually know it and give all our hearts to doing it
even better than our teachers (apologies to the various
teachers, entrepreneurs etc etc) and I believe that this value
chain approach has been long overdue for we are natural
business people who can smell good revenues from miles off.
This is an opportunity and call to investors outside there to
come and collaborate with us as we are definitely getting
things much better now as we start with this new approach.
Watch out for us in the next two years and see how far. And I
am also inviting you to come and taste the delectable
peppersoup at the various bukas springing up here everyday!
When our women prepare it with catfish and their local
condiments there's no muddy taste. Can you see the look on the
face of the man in the picture below? Welcome to our world!