Wantoat farmers need access to Lae fish markets

By SUZIE GEBO of NARI

Despite the mountainous geography of the area, smallholder farmers in the Wantoat local level government of Markham in Morobe have successfully constructed fish ponds and are producing fish of exceptional sizes.

A fish pond at Wantoat

 The environment is ideal for inland pond fish farming.

Currently there are about 30 established fish farmers and the interest in fish farming is growing and more people are starting to engage in this activity.

The pond sizes range from as small as 5m x 5m to as large as 11m x 45m and are stocked with carp and GIFT (genetically improved farmed tilapia) that number from a few hundred to over 2,000.   

Recently, inland aquaculture researchers of National Agriculture Research Institute’s (NARI) livestock project from Labu near Lae visited Wantoat, a remote part of the Markham district, upon request by smallholder fish farmers in the area. 

Wantoat fish farmers and NARI researcher Suzie Gebo (right)

 The visit was organised as part of a NARI smallholder livestock development project, funded under the public investment programme (PIP) of the national government.

 It was a consultative visit to gather information on the status of inland aquaculture activities in the area.

The meeting with the fish farmers explored needs for technical assistance in relation to this activity.

There was interest in fish farming but there was lack of skills and technical know-how in raising fish in ponds.

An important issue pointed out by fish farmers was the absence of quality fish feed.

Feeding low value feed and the high cost of developing quality feed is hindering the progress of this activity.

There are a lot of good feed ingredients available but major components of a basic fish diet like fish meal, millrun and copra meal, were not readily available.

These ingredients are needed to produce quality fish feed. 

Another major constraint faced by the fish farmers is the lack of access to markets for their fish. They are producing large numbers of fish which can be sold to supermarkets or restaurants within Lae city.

However, that is not happening, thus resulting in huge surpluses of fish.

There is a great need for a market network to be set up for these fish farmers.

NARI researchers in collaboration with needy smallholder farmers plan to organise a group of fish marketing trials to try to establish a market link between fish farmers in the villages and the markets in Lae.

With the support of local government services, major constraints of smallholder fish farmers in remote places like Wantoat can be overcome.

Such issues faced by fish farmers in Wantoat and other remote areas, should be taken on board by extension service providers, researchers, development practitioners and policy makers alike, to look into developing appropriate strategies that can enable them to have easy access to major feed ingredients for quality fish feed, as well as an established market network for sale of fish. By creating an enabling environment for fish farmers, their efforts can be well rewarded and they will be motivated to do more thus helping to boost the local economy.