KWIHAZA
>
Ruanda
In line with the National Strategy for
Transformation 2 (NST2, 2024-2029 ), Rwanda has drawn up a National Aquaculture
Strategy for Rwanda (NASR) that contributes towards achieving better standards
of living and improved nutrition conditions for the population of 14M (in
2023), which increasing at over 2.3% per year.
To support this Strategy to realise the
unmet potential for pond-based aquaculture, the Belgian Development Agency
(Enabel), Government of Luxembourg through LuxDev, and the EU have funded the
Kwihaza (Transformation Towards Sustainable Food Systems) project to be
implemented from 2023 to 2026.
In order to increase the production of fish
in Rwanda, Kwihaza project introduced a Master Training Program on Best
Aquaculture Practices aiming at empowering smallholder farmers especially youth
and women with hands-on and practical skills. At first glance, the project
started with 19 Model Farms, each having three facilitators that were
trained and coached. In last three months of ToTs, the 57 facilitators extended
the training to other 1,140 pond farmers. This capacity
development will be delivered in a period of 15 months by ThinkAqua-a UK-based
NGO specialising in sustainable aquaculture value chain development in
partnership with Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) and RARICO-a cooperative tasked
of extension services delivery in this project.
Success stories of the adoption of Best
Aquaculture Practices among the supported fishponds farmers.
On 22nd August, 2024, during the
joint monitoring between Enabel-Kwihaza team, RAB, RARICO and THINKAQUA noticed
a good project progress in terms of fish growth rate. Fish in the KIUM- a 28 members cooperative,
selected as model pond farm located in Nyamagabe district, Southern Province of
Rwanda have surged from 1g to 20g average in just 2.5 months. Top growers known
as to have a very high growth rate, weighing 45g and above, are now graded and
transferred to separate grow-out ponds.
In the last 3 months, this cooperative
-among others- have received trainings and coaching about Best Aquaculture
Practices, namely pond preparation, fish stocking, fish feeding and stock
management.
No news