Republic of Congo: Fish farming project in the region of Kouilou

Project Background

The Republic of Congo has favourable geographical and climatic conditions for the development of aquaculture, particularly inland fish farming in ponds. Tilapia (locally called "carp") and Clarias ("African catfish"), two of the main species raised worldwide in continental fish farming, exist in the Republic of Congo and are known and appreciated by local consumers. The demand on the national market is high and due to shortage of supplies the selling price is high. Marketing of increased quantities of fish will offer an improved livelihood to fish farmers and a better nutrition of consumers in rural and urban areas of the country.

Nevertheless, aquaculture production remained very limited and often concentrated around development projects supported by international programs. Private fish farmers who practice essentially extensive aquaculture without inputs and therefore with low yield need support to leverage the sector and fulfill the local demand. In this context IECD and COFAD implement a three years technical assistance project financed under the corporate social responsibility programme of the Congolese branch of PERENCO. 

Objectives

The specific objectives will be looking at the following areas of intervention:

A. Technical support for fish farmers (development of existing structures): 

• Tilapia and Clarias hatchery
• Model Tilapia grow-out fertilization, polyculture Tilapia / Clarias ponds, intensive Clarias ponds, intensive Tilapia ponds, local and/or imported food
• Technical training of sector actors (private sector and governmental officers) 

B. Fish feed and local production (mix of imports and local production)

• Analysis and elaboration of feed adapted to the local context with local ingredients if possible (trial and validation phase over 1 year), feeding of juveniles on imported feed (also for broodstock)
• Technical training of sector actors on the basics of fish feed (private and governmental), formulation, nutrition, manufacturing and economic analysis
• Practical training on the development of locally pressed feed

C. Entrepreneurial support and economic development 

• Support for economic development
• Entrepreneurial training and coaching

Activities and/or Results

• Establish a system for technical capacity building
• Establish the content for technical capacity building in several fields (see below):
  • Pond establishment in common use facilities
  • Breeding and hatchery practices including fingerling production in common use facilities
  • Grow-out pond operation in common use facilities
  • Biosecurity and fish health
  • Administration and planning of pond farming activities
  • Nutrition and food security
  • Economic management of fish farms and development of entrepreneurial skills
• Training of over 200 farmers and 50 persons along the value chain. Improved production by 300% at farm level.
• Establishment and support of 15 pilot farms that will be functioning as demonstration farms for training
• Provision of quality resources to pond farmers and strengthening of the distribution network
• Strengthening of the value chain at national level for fish distribution, fish feed industry and equipment suppliers
• Execution of farmer-to-farmer exchange during the coaching loops after training of the fish farmers
• Support fish feed factories and processing plants in the country
• Establishment of an M&E system to track activities and achievements
• Support the development of the value chain

A video documentation of the project is available here. (French with subtitles)