Current statistics indicate that Uganda’s fish production has been steadily increasing, with total production reaching approximately 690,000 tons in 2020. However, the demand for fish protein remains high, with an estimated annual requirement of 1.7 million tons to meet both domestic consumption and export needs. This highlights a significant production deficit, which can’t be fulfilled sufficiently by capture fisheries presenting a substantial opportunity for growth in the aquaculture sector.
Aquaculture has emerged as a vital sector for enhancing food security, economic development, and sustainable livelihoods in Uganda. However, the potential of aquaculture is often hampered by various challenges such as limited access to resources, technical knowledge, and market opportunities. Cooperatives, community-based organizations, offer a promising solution to these challenges. By leveraging collective resources, knowledge, and efforts, cooperatives can play a pivotal role in promoting and sustaining aquaculture in Uganda. Interested farmers, particularly women and youth, often face constraints such as limited land ownership, high costs of quality inputs, insufficient extension and technical support, market access challenges, including processing and value addition. Cooperatives provide an avenue to receive training Department of Industrial Training (DIT) certification, business accreditation, access to communal resources like land, quality inputs, and market access.
By operating as a business, cooperatives can achieve economies of scale, enhance productivity, and secure better market opportunities. Furthermore, the integration of technology within cooperatives enhances their effectiveness. Digital tools for record-keeping and tracking cooperative activities streamline operations and improve transparency. Technology enables real-time support and data-driven decision-making, ensuring timely interventions and optimizing aquaculture practices. Harnessing the power of data is crucial to monitor cooperative activities and improve overall performance of aquaculture farms.
We therefore show here how knowledge transfer through structured training programmes, supply of quality inputs and formation of fish farming cooperatives can enhance the engagement of all facets of communities in growing aquaculture production among the marginalized.