In 2010, Joshua Nyirenda of Manyamula in Mzimba ventured into fish farming as part of integrated farming.

With four fish ponds, he is one of the most reliable chambo producers in the hilly setting, but he produces about half a tonne a year with the potential to yield twice as much with  better financial capacity and fish feed.

He wishes to invest in floating fish feed to unleash the full potential of his enterprise.

With modern fish farming practices, Nyirenda can produce more than a tonne of fish per pond annually.            

 Although some farmers like him are trained to produce fish feed using homegrown raw materials such as maize, soya bean and fish meal, its nutritional value is lower than feed produced in factories for high profitability.        

Fisheries experts estimate that feed constitutes over half of variable costs in fish farming, a setback to many fish farmers in the country.

Farmers catch fish from a pond supplied with modern feed

Even though some local millers produce fish feed, most local offering lack necessary nutrients for fish growth and health due to lack of technical specifications. The compromises in feed quality and safety leaves most fish farmers in the country dependent on fish feed imports.       

Fish feed is produced in form of floating or sinking pellets with varying ingredients at different growth stages of fish.        

To address the challenges, the Fisheries Department has introduced technical specifications and guidelines on fish feed manufacturing in Malawi.

The basic standards were launched in Lilongwe recently for the benefit of farmers, manufacturers, retailers, distributors and both exporters and importers of feed.

They also apply to both importers and exporters of associated ingredients for tilapia and catfish to meet international standards.  

Speaking during the launch of the guidelines, then director of fisheries Dr Friday Njaya, now retired, says lack of quality and certified feed has hampered fish farming from attaining its optimum productivity.

“The guidelines require actors in the fish feed value chain to adhere to standards conceived to trigger increased growth and profitability,” he says

The guidelines provide technical information to support producers of fish feed and act as a tool to for responsible feed production that minimises social and environmental impacts.   

They also give local farmers an opportunity to produce more soya beans, maize and other cereals for feed production, reducing the demand for fish from lakes and rivers such as usipa.          

“Adherence to the guidelines will boost confidence in fish feed made in Malawi to compete on the international market,” says Njaya                 

Dr Petros Chigwechokha, a lecturer at Malawi University of Science and Technology, explains why the guidelines could be a major boost to the economics of fish feeds.

“As an important reference to good manufacturing practices, they guide entrepreneurs to enhance profitability,” he says.

The standards mark an upgrade on existing codes of practice on good animal feeding, fish and fishery products.

Floating fish feed is desirable due to its high protein-conversion ratio unlike sinking feed, which mostly accumulates at the bottom the pond or get wasted in the water.      

“Floating fish feed is ideal in modern aquaculture, but it is too expensive for most fish farmers,” says Lannes Chavula, a fish farmer in Mzuzu.

The member of M’ndundundu Fish Cooperative appeals to manufacturers of fish feed to consider setting aside customised packs and distribute them farmers to pay after selling the fish,” she suggests.

The guidelines are part of the national strategy for commercial agriculture for smallholder farmers and agribusiness enterprises.

The blueprint seeks to accelerate the commercialisation of the aquaculture by among others improving access to necessary inputs and markets.

Experts say the standards are timely as they coincided with the modern feed processing machinery at Mzuzu Aquaculture Centre. The factory can produce up to two tonnes per hour, making fish feed accessible and affordable.

Mercy Mfune, standards officer at the Malawi Bureau of Standards, urges producers of fish feed to adhere to the new specifications to regain market confidence and increase fish production for better livelihoods.

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