Every cold season in parts of Zambia, cooler water slows fish growth, cuts feed intake and stretches the time fish need to reach market size; at the Natural Resources Development College (NRDC) All-Weather Wet Laboratory in Lusaka, water can fall to about 21°C. WorldFish says that makes it hard to produce reliable feed-performance data all year, and it has drawn up a plan with the college to fix that, the research centre reported on 6 October.
On a mission to Lusaka and Siavonga under the Norad-funded FASA project on sustainable fish feeds in sub-Saharan Africa, WorldFish teams from Penang and Zambia worked with NRDC on a redesign that would turn the laboratory into a controlled, all-weather platform for nutrition and feed trials. "By creating a dedicated space for feed performance trials and product validation, Zambia will be better positioned to develop solutions that address the realities faced by local fish farmers and feed producers," said WorldFish senior scientist Matthew Owen.
Three feed companies, National Milling Corporation (NMC), Novatek and Kamimbi Feeds, agreed in principle to pursue memoranda of understanding with WorldFish on feed testing, validation, research and training. NMC's general manager for stockfeeds, Sven Pihlblad, said the aim was to use affordable local raw materials and WorldFish's recirculating aquaculture system facility to develop better, cheaper feeds. Novatek nutritionist Everett Pieterse said quality, affordable feed remains one of the main challenges for Zambian fish farming.
WorldFish aquaculture scientist Mary Lundeba said combining manufacturers' expertise with the project's research capacity would help the sector test local ingredients such as cassava and alternative proteins. Smaller enterprises that bought processing equipment with government finance, through the Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission, still need help with formulation, quality control and product testing, she said.
The mission also prepared a National Aquafeed Technical Working Group to bring together the Department of Fisheries, regulators, researchers, feed millers and farmer organisations to align priorities, streamline feed standards and coordinate research on local ingredients.
Photo: Eunice Ayo-Aderele / WorldFish
Source: WorldFish
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