2016-04-15Staff Report 2 Epalela The Governor of Omusati Region, Erginus Endjala, has called on the business community to venture into aquaculture to reduce poverty and increase food security. Speaking at Epalela recently, the governor said there is a potential for aquaculture to flourish in the region. He called on the concerned ministry to expand fish farming in the region, as well as other parts of the country, in order to create job opportunities. “The region needs to grow in aquaculture because it will create jobs for the many unemployed youth and add nutritional value,” said Endjala. The Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Bernhard Esau also appealed to the community to go into business farming and ensure a favourable environment for aquaculture to flourish. “We need to grow fish for marketing, and sell in small quantities to the people in the region,” said Esau while motivating farmers to engage in small fish farming, either for business or to feed their families. Esau also appealed to farmers to emulate the good work executed at Epalela and engage in fish farming. “Draw lessons from this farm and learn how to farm fish,” appealed the minister. The Epalela demonstration farm, from which farmers are encouraged to tap knowledge, was established in 2006 to encourage the local community to farm fish in the quest to reduce poverty and become self-sustainable. To date since the inception of the farm, the farm currently has a potential to produce 40 metric tons of Tilapia fish yearly. Last Saturday the ministry of fisheries harvested tilapia fish from three of the 12 ponds. 2016-04-15Staff Report 2
