The Tilapia Aquaculture Developers Association of Nigeria TADAN),  n Monday, August 10, 2020, inaugurated a six-man executive committee as interim officials to pilot the affairs of the association at this early stage. They are to create a clear objective and catalyze the growth of improved Tilapia production in Anambra state.

This took place at the Anambra State Fisheries and Aquaculture Business Development Agency (FABDA) Boardroom, Government House Awka.

The stakeholders unanimously elected the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Anambra State Fisheries and Aquaculture Business Development Agency *(FABDA), Mr. Emeka Iloghalu (founder of the TeeMartins Aquaculture Group) as the interim Chairman and Mr. Gabriel Muoneke of Eze Azu farms Nteje as vice chairman.

Others are:

Anthony Odili of Chinyere Agro Industrial Farms Ltd, General Secretary, Innocent Okeke, Publicity Secretary, Anochie Chigozie of Gozanbee Farms Umunachi, Financial Secretary and Onwuazombe Somadina of Aqua Heritage Farms who emerged as the Welfare Officer.

Inaugurating the officials, the National President of TADAN, Dr. Remi Ahmed, represented by the Association’s vice president, Mr. Nurudeen Tiamiyu charged the excos to focus on advancing objective and visible growth of Tilapia Aquaculture in Anambra state.

He noted that TADAN is positioned to develop and grow Tilapia Aquaculture in the country and beyond and sustain it.

“Our direction”, according to him, “is to put Nigeria Tilapia production on the global map and today, Anambra state has joined the list of about ten already inaugurated TADAN chapters in Nigeria.

“The idea behind what we are doing is to teach our (Tilapia Fish) producers what they need to know through training at both local and international levels” he said.

On his part, the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Anambra state, Mr Primius Odili while congratulating the new officers said the state government is more interested in agriculture, especially fish farming.

Odili who pointed out that earlier before now, he was a bit skeptical about rearing Tilapia, said that the state is willing to compete favourably with the world in the production of Tilapia and other fish species. “Our people have neglected fish farming for so long a time but I’m optimistic that the state can key in properly with the modern technology in Tilapia production.

“Farming is for everybody and we should embrace it and that is why we encourage people to start something no matter how small. This is the main reason government recently launched what it called Ugbo Azuno which aims at providing alternative means of livelihood especially during this COVID-19 pandemic. We are launching operation feed Anambra to help salvage the situation”.

The Chief of staff who was appointed patron of TADAN Anambra state chapter said he is not unaware of some challenges confronting farmers globally but enjoined TADAN members in the state to form cooperatives for easy accessibility of funds and promised to make arrangement for off takers once the farmers can guarantee consistency, growth and sustainability.

The new chairman, Mr. Emeka Iloghalu in his acceptance speech, said the officials will do their best to represent TADAN very well in the state and as well grow the GDP of Tilapia FIsh in Anambra state and beyond.

Iloghalu in his earlier presentation disclosed that FABDA was created to grow the economy of the Fisheries and Aquaculture sector in the state for food and for wealth creation in the state.

He noted that the vision of the Governor in creating the Agency is to be the most visible and largest fish producing state in West Africa, adding that the state is determined to use the special technology to grow Tilapia and other fish species in the state.

Nigeria’s tilapia fish industry is facing some challenges, a scenario that makes it fail to register meaningful and sustainable growth. Stakeholders suggest ways to save the industry, DANIELESSIET reports.

Nigeria has always been a major consumer of fish, and demand for fisheries products has increased in recent years due to health-consciousness of the citizens. With the population expected to exceed 250 million in 2050, demand is likely to increase even more. However, fisheries resources are limited. Even now, many fish are already on the brink of extinction due to overfishing. For this reason, the production of fisheries products through aqua farming has become important to the challenge of securing food resources. One area that offers prospect is tilapia fish farming.Globally, large-scale commercial tilapia farming operations are profitable and international companies are investing in both local and foreign species.
While countries such as Egypt have continued to record successes in tilapia farming, Nigeria’s ailing tilapia fish sector has continued to register drastic falls in production.
Experts said despite government policies to boost tilapia production smugglingfrom from China and other constraints have made it impossible to realise the dream.
With increase in population and pressure on the nation’s fisheries resources, experts say the sector may be doomed unless certain actions are taken to stimulate increased production.
Addressing a Food and Agriculture Writers Association of Nigeria (FAWON) forum in Lagos, the stakeholders noted that the Nigerian tilapia industry would have expanded rapidly in the past few years, if serious efforts were made to change from a small-scale concern to a large one capable of feeding the entire population .
One of them was the National President, Tilapia and Aquaculture Developers Association of Nigeria (TADAN) Mr. Remi Ahmed.
Addressing the forum where the speakers focused on the current and future challenges and opportunities facing the industry, Ahmed said tilapia provides a nutritious and inexpensive protein, which plays a key role in alleviating nutrient deficiency.
But over the past few years, competition from tilapia smuggled from China into the country has intensified.
Despite higher production costs stemming from harsh operating conditions, he said cheap imports from Asia are making investment not worthwhile.
He said the Nigerian Tilapia farming model was currently being appreciated globally and this would mean unregulated importation of the commodity to retard local production. “This is coming when the international community is happy with the level of work done in Nigeria’s tilapia sub-sector. Within the short period tilapia was introduced to Nigeria, we have been able to develop and produce Tilapia feed that is better than the ones used in most African countries. Let government stop importation of Tilapia into the country because afterwards, the smuggled Tilapia will not allow local producers to get ready-made markets. Restriction of Tilapia importation is not even enough, we want an outright ban because we are producing a lot and we can meet the Tilapia deficit if given the right playing field, ” Ahmed said.
He said importers of the commodity are enjoying grants and other incentives from their countries which is why when the fish is brought here, it is very cheap.
He said cost of power and others are serious challenges, so this is not encouraging.
Ahmed canvassed ban on imported tilapia to protect local aquaculture producers. Although Customs often seize fish and poultry products that are smuggled into Nigeria, the wide availability of imported products show that their efforts are not working.
The fish farmers would like the government to close down those outlets that sell black market fish and argue that foreign tilapia is only so cheap because the smugglers do not pay taxes on them.
He said substantial amounts of foreign tilapia are available on the market, in spite of the ban on imports, which was intended to protect the local industry
He said the potential exists to increase tilapia production significantly. However, for this to be achieved, the local production system needs to be improved and greater emphasis placed on establishing best-practices. Such a move would help to bring greater market credibility, improve margins, and ensure that a more consistent quality product is available.
Global Technical Head-Fish – Triton Group, Edna Dionisio said the most effective way to support advancement of the sector is to provide a consistent supply of high-quality fish feed products, along with technical support to the industry.
She noted that ensuring Nigeria-raised tilapia meet the highest quality standards will not only open the door for local farmers but that the products will command much better prices. According to her, feeding accounts for 70 to 80 per cent of the total cost of aquaculture. Moreover, it is often done by unskilled workers, which in many cases, leads to overfeeding or uneven distribution. This means that larger, more aggressive fish tend to get most of the food while the rest go hungry.
She said feeding makes the business less profitable, uncontrollable — because the biggest cost is just spread on the water.
In order to improve the sustainability of tilapia production, she observed that it’s essential to improve feed efficiency – the ratio between the feed given to the fish and their weight gain.
Many of the small fish farmers, she noted, have no prior professional training. She said farmers must track weather conditions and water temperature, which affect fish health. And the farmers must keep records of the feed and the medicine they use.
Edna Dionisio said her dream is to solve the problem, by making feeding more efficient and controllable.
She said tilapia farming could be a more viable option in addressing household protein deficiencies and economic security if attempts were made to improve production of fish feeds and fingerlings.
She said empowering small-scale farmers to run productive and profitable farms is vital if the nation is to feed the future in a sustainable way.
She said there was need to speed up research and implementation of new innovations and technologies such as genetic improvement of local species and formulation of low cost improved fish feed.
She said her organisation is at the forefront of commercial tilapia research, with University of Ibadan and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), dedicating resources to progress tilapia feed, nutrition and technology research and development.
Together with the local industry association, she said her organisation is sponsoring training and offering incentives to a few model farms that invest in improvements. The idea is that others will follow suit if they see it makes financial sense.
She said the industry facesthe challenge of approved and certified hatcheries to supply fingerlings and brood stock to farmers.
She said Triton Group is ready to help local small-scale farmers increase their livelihoods and income by sustainably producing tilapia.
Vice-President, TADAN, Mr. Nurudeen Tiamiu, said fish was an important source of protein. For this reason, the production of fisheries products through aqua farming has become important to the challenge of securing food resources.
He observed that there are some obstacles that must be overcome in order to obtain a stable supply of fisheries products using aqua farming.
For example, there is the problem of the need to obtain feed. Tiamiu said that the government should collaborate with real stakeholders in the sector to fashion out a roadmap to develop farmed fish in the country.
He noted that tilapia farming has emerged as a significant component of global fish supplies.
Tiamiu said that the aquaculture sector had been besieged by people who were not known fish farmers, making and taking decisions on behalf of the real time producers.
Tiamiu said: “I see no reason why the Ministry of Finance is making policies on fish import, while the Ministry of Agriculture is not doing anything for stakeholders. We have a bunch of stakeholders, you have not met with them and have not seen their capabilities in production and that means the Nigerian government do not understand the issues to be addressed when it comes to food safety. We do not even know the quantity of Tilapia needed for consumption, we only know that we have 15 million metric tonnes of fish deficit. Let government meet with stakeholders and fashion out a roadmap to develop farmed fish and farmed fish is the only way aquaculture can survive in Nigeria.”
Source: http://thenationonlineng.net/saving-nigerias-dwindling-tilapia-fishing-sector/

Good afternoon all. This is to inform members that there will be a free training organised by ZOETIS ALPHA a global animal health company dedicated to supporting livestock farmers, veterinary surgeons in Conjunction with TADAN

OVERVIEW OF IMPORTANT DISEASES IN AQUACULTURE (WITH EMPHASIS ON TILAPIA DISEASE IDENTIFICATION-PARASITIC, VIRAL AND BACTERIA)

DIAGNOSTIC APPROACH TO AQUACULTURE (INCLUDING SAMPLING TECHNIQUES)

RECENT AVAILABLE DRUGS, VACCINES AND OTHER INTERVENTIONS IN TILAPIA DISEASE MANAGEMENT PARTICULARLY IN PharmaQ portfolio.

Date is Friday 17 May 2019
Venue is George Town Hotel (Best Western) Ikeja Conference room
Time is 8:00 am
On Thursday 16th of May is a visit to two Tilapia farms in Lagos and a visit to one of the Fisheries research institute in Lagos which will be named once we communicate officially to them. The field tour and visit will enable participants have a first hand view of the latest methods and methodologies in
SAMPLE COLLECTION TECHNIQUES AND EASY RAPID FIELD DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES INCLUDING NECROPSY CAN BE DEMONSTRATED ON THESE FARMS TO BE VISITED.

Only 20 space is available to members for this two days event.

Please make your interest know on the forum. Or directly to the National Secretary on 08033135761

In a bid to be self-sufficient in fish production, the federal government has entered into a partnership with an international organization, WorldFish as part of efforts to meet the country’s fish production demand, which stands at 3.2 million Metric Tonnes. It was reported that Nigeria currently produces 1.1 million Metric Tonnes of fish and fishery products with a deficit of 2.1 million MT. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development,           Dr. Heineken Lokpobiri stated at stakeholder’s workshop meeting, yesterday in Abuja that the international organization is expected to support the country to achieve its target on food and nutrition. He said all fish importers have been directed to do backward integration through commercial aquaculture, adding that some of the compliant organisations have been certified by the ministry to commence fish and fishery products export to international markets. The Minister, who acknowledged capacity of the country to produce fish to meet local fish demand, noted that the country still has huge gap on tilapia fish. “Nigeria, as you all know is a large fish consuming nation and a net importer of fish and fishery products. Currently, our annual fish demand is in excess of 3.2 million MT while the production is about 1.1 million MT from all sources resulting in a demand-supply gap of about 2.1 million MT. “Nigeria was importing over 2 million metric tons of fish in 2015 with 500, 000 metric tons local capacity but currently produce 1.1 million metric tons,” he added. According to the minister, the nation largely produces catfish, which he considered as expensive, that is 80 per cent cat fish and 20 per cent Tilapia. He stressed increased production of different varieties. He appealed to the international organization to help the country increase its local production on tilapia as it did to Ghana and Egypt. “The FMARD have the mandate to harness potentials in the agriculture sector. So we will give you every support to succeed.” Earlier, WorldFish director of International Partnership, David Sheurer said the partnership became imperative to build capacity of local fish farmers and meet nutritional needs. The deputy director, Mr. Segun Babatunde called for the establishment of tilapia breeding centre to meet the deficit. He said despite that the country is the second largest fish producer in Africa after Egypt, there is need for concerted effort to produce more of tilapia. Source: https://leadership.ng/2018/03/21/fg-seeks-self-sufficiency-in-fish-production/