AGRICULTURE: WAAPP, University of Ibadan distribute 80,000 fingerlings to catfish farmers in Oyo State

Fingerling

West African Agriculture Productivity Programme (WAAPP), in conjunction with the University of Ibadan, has began the distribution of 80,000 fish fingerlings to catfish farmers in Oyo State.
The catfish distribution is the third phase of the entrepreneurship training programme organised by WAAPP and the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management of University of Ibadan.
They had distributed to farmers in the Ibadan and Ibarapa zones of the state on Friday, while the distribution was in the Oyo and Saki zones on Monday.

Prof. Bamidele Omitoyin, the Head of Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, University of Ibadan, said the state had been zoned into four to ease the sharing.
“The department is working in collaboration with WAAPP to produce fish seeds for other farmers in Nigeria,’’ he said.

The institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Abel Olayinka, who was represented by Prof. Eustace Iyayi, Head of Department, Agriculture and Forestry, said the exercise was aimed at increasing food production in Nigeria.
“WAAPP’s partnership with us is a good thing. It has helped the farmers to assist many catfish farmers to realise their dream.”
Olayinka however, called on the public to embrace agriculture, saying this was essential now that “oil is failing us’’.
While appreciating the gesture, the Chairman, Catfish Farmers Association in Oyo State, Mrs. Awoyomi Kolade, commended UI and WAAPP.
She said the association had so far received 20,000 fingerlings to be distributed to 40 farmers.
According to her, each farmer will receive 500 fish seed which will improve fish production in the state.