Profitability of fish farming in Cameroon.
Sustainable Pisciculture Entrepreneurship presents an untapped opportunity in Cameroon; high-potential solution to poverty, food insecurity, youth employment, and the dependency on foods imports (frozen fish) towards improvement on the balance of trade deficits of the country.
According to a study on the determinants of the profitability of fish farming in Cameroon by small farmers(Cynthia Jeh M. et al; 2018), fish farming venture in the country is a profitable business with a mean net profit of 1.896. 443.FCFA (2,830 Euro) per production cycle of 4 months.
AGRO-INDUSTRY IN PISCICULTURE ENTREPRENEURSHIP .
Introduction
The government of Cameroon has recognized the importance of reducing the dependency on foods imports, and so, has initiated a Three-Year Integrated Import Substitution Plan 2024-2026, with focus on development priority sectors such as Agro-industry. The plan aims to bolster domestic production capacities, enhance value-addition to local resources, and encourage the consumption of locally made products (Made in Cameroon).
What is Agro-industry? Agro-industry refers to the interconnected activities between farming and industry, encompassing the production, processing, and distribution of agricultural products. Agro-industry creates a crucial link between farming and industry, supporting agricultural development by providing necessary inputs, processing, and marketing. The importance of Agro-industry are many; adds value to agricultural products, generates employment and income opportunities especially in rural and peri-urban areas, strengthens Communities resilience, Economic Growth, etc.
Agro-industry-related activities in Pisciculture ( fish farming) Entrepreneurship .
(1) Fish Processing and Packaging: Value-added processing such as filleting, smoking, drying, and canning, for both local consumption and export.
(2) Fish Feed Production: Manufacturing high-quality fish feed from agricultural by-products like corn, soybean, rice bran, and fish meal.
(3) Hatchery and Breeding Centres: Production of fingerlings (young fish) for local farmers.
(4) Waste Management and Recycling: Conversion of fish waste into organic fertilizers and biogas, Utilizing fish scales, bones, and waste for animal feed or collagen production.
(5) Water Management Solutions: Development of irrigation solutions for agriculture using fish pond water which is rich in nutrients. Recycling water for sustainable fish farming operations.
(6) Cold Storage and Logistics: Establishment of cold storage facilities to preserve fresh fish. Efficient logistics for transporting fish products to markets.
(7) Fish farming production tools and equipment: These include tarpaulin ponds/tanks, nets, graders, fish counters, water quality test kits, water pumps, pond liners, aeration machines, filtration systems, algae scrubbers, weighing scales, etc.
(8) Aquaponics Systems: Integrating fish farming with hydroponics to grow plants and fish simultaneously. Fish waste provides nutrients for the plants, and the plants help filter the water, creating a sustainable cycle.
Conclusion
According to a report by the South African think tank ISS Africa, Cameroon could reduce its dependence on food imports by 31.7% by 2043, and this decline is expected to come from sharp progress in the agricultural sector.
Subject : Strengthening Our Pisciculture Vision Through Strategic Collaboration
Dear BHR Pro Members,
Warm greetings to you all.
In line with our vision of establishing an inclusive and sustainable Pisciculture Entrepreneurship System within the BHR Project; one that ensures every member benefits meaningfully, we are excited to share an innovative proposal that has emerged from within our community.
Some of our dedicated members have suggested a strategic organization of our efforts into two mutually supportive consortiums :
(1) A Production Consortium : Comprising small-scale fish farmers focused on high-quality fish production.
(2) A Value-Addition & Services Consortium: Made up of members involved in processing, packaging, marketing, and fish feed production.
This symbiotic structure is designed to create a win-win relationship for all. The Value-Addition group will provide a ready market and feed supply under favorable conditions to the Production group, ensuring smooth operations, shared growth, and mutual profitability.
By working in harmony, we will not only enhance sustainability and efficiency across the value chain, but also maximize the entrepreneurial potential of each member.
We invite your support, and participation as we take this bold step toward building a resilient and inclusive pisciculture ecosystem within the BHR Project.
Together, we thrive.
Warm regards,
BHR Project Coordination Team
(3d) publications
The Real Profits in Fish Farming Lies In Mastering Pisciculture Entrepreneurship & Sales, Not Just fish production .
One of the Main Reasons Small-Scale fish Farmers Fail Is Because They Don’t Know How to Sell their produce.
Most fish farmers are not broke because they can’t produce fish. They’re broke because they don’t know how to master pisciculture entrepreneurship and marketing. Full stop.
The most dangerous sentence amogst fish farmers in Cameroon is: “There is no market.” That statement is the anthem of the uninformed. How can anyone in their right mind say there’s no market for fish? We’re talking about a country where millions eat fish every day, where cities grow daily and supermarkets expand by the month, where they import millions of tons of fresh fish everyday, where their diaspora population is ready to pay any amount of hard currency for authentic tasteful dried mudfish to savour fufu, achu, okra/garri, etc. What’s missing is not the market. What’s missing is your ability to sell it.
Many small-scale fish farmers still believe that once they produce good quality fish, buyers will magically appear. From where exactly? Do they think quality sells itself? The truth is, quality without visibility is useless. If you don’t market what you grow, you will die with your harvest in your hands.
Most of the people saying “there’s no money in fish farming” spend their days reading free WhatsApp, ticktock, etc. on fish farming techniques, pond and water management, disease control, etc. That’s fine. But as the owner of the pisciculture business, You should be obsessed with who’s buying, how much they’re willing to pay, and how often they’ll come back. Fish farming is not just about fish production; it’s about building a sustainable pisciculture system that turns produce into profits over and over again.
Ironically, the people making big money from the fish farming industry aren’t even on the farms. They live in towns, wear clean clothes, and have never touched a fingerling nor a fish feeder, but they understand pisciculture entrepreneurship and markets. They are the middlemen, mami-fish roasters, the “touch n kill” BBQ patrons. They take the lion’s share of the profit in the fish farming industry while you the fish farmers celebrate your big fish harvest. Why? Because they understand pisciculture entrepreneurship and marketing. They understand fish processing, packaging, negotiation, and distribution.
So here’s the truth many fish farmers refuse to hear: selling is more profitable than farming. Until you master that, you will always be the one who works the hardest and earns the least.
If you insist on being the one at the farm, fine. Then hire someone who knows how to market your fish, Because if you don’t have a sales system in place, you’re just producing for others to benefit more than you. Fish Marketing isn’t optional. It’s not an extra job, It is the real and most-do job.
Don’t be the farmer who produces quality fish for others to make huge profits while you are hoping for miracles.
#BHR Sustainable Pisciculture Entrepreneurship.
#GSES COOP LTD.
CATFISH GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT In COLD WEATHER.
Cold weather affects the growth and development of catfish negatively. Here’s why:
1. Temperature Sensitivity.
Catfish are warm-water species, generally thriving best at water temperatures between 25°C to 30°C (77°F to 86°F). When temperatures drop below 20°C (68°F), their:
-Metabolic rate slows down,
-Feeding activity decreases,
-Growth rate reduces significantly.
2. Weakened Immune System.
In colder water, catfish are more vulnerable to:
-Diseases,
-Parasitic infections.
-Fungal attack
Their immune system weakens as their metabolic processes slow.
3. Reduced Feed Conversion Efficiency.
Catfish digest food less efficiently in cold conditions, leading to:
-Poor feed conversion ratio (FCR),
-Wastage of feed,
-Stunted growth.
4. Stress and Mortality Risks.
Sudden drops in temperature can cause stress and, in severe cases, mass mortality, especially in juveniles or fingerlings.
Practical Recommendations :
-Monitor water temperatures regularly.
-Use greenhouse covers, tarpaulins, or heating systems where possible.
-Reduce feeding frequency in very cold conditions to avoid water pollution.
-Use vitamin and immune-boosting supplements to help fish cope with stress.
IN SUMMAY, cold weather slows growth, weakens health, and can kill catfish if unmanaged.
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