Fish Farming

Good Evening All,

Well we are learning more and more each day here. A lot has been going on with Jess taking the director position and me getting classes underway. Jess is off to the US to get her work visa settled and to meet with some study abroad programs. We miss her.

I was fortunate yesterday to stumble upon the end of a fish farmer training program sponsored by USAID and Winrock right here in Yola...who'd a thunk it? It was a great opportunity to meet with some local farmers and to be introduced to aquaculture in the area. It is rather fascinating here. Most places I have been, aquaculture has needed to be introduced or "sold" on to potential farmers, here people have been trying to get it going on their own for a few years now. The unfortunate part is that much of it has been misguided. I do applaud some of the ingenuity, but am a bit at a loss of where to start. Without getting into the gorey details I'll just share some pictures.

This is a small backyard pond for african catfish. I did not see a pond more than 3 by 3 meters. Very small operations.

These are the fish tanks a the Farming Skills Acquisition Center in Yola. Pretty basic, but it has some potential for research and training.

Some broodstock in another backyard operation. Plenty of money on concrete has been spent by some of these operations.

Hungary critters...as always feeds are a limiting factor

This was at the closing ceremony. I believe the man with the light green head dress is the district chief for Yola. The men in red are bodyguards, one for the chief of Yola the other from Jimeta. When the chief sat (in a chair), his bodyguard would sit on the floor beside him. Different.

The last pic is pizza night. We still have some of the pleasures and joys of home!