KAMPALA - Fish farmers from Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and the United States of America are currently meeting in Kampala for the annual fish farmers’ symposium and trade fair.

The meeting that has attracted the region’s fish farming experts will discuss the challenges affecting the sector as well as transforming it from subsistence to commercial trade.

Speaking to The New Times, the chairman of the forum’s organizing committee, Peter Ssebinyansi, said that the forum will successively help East African farmers advocate for positive policies on how to development the sector.

"I am absolutely sure that all participants in this forum will come up with final resolutions and important knowledge on rearing fish which will develop their countries and provide employment opportunities to their countrymen”

Speaking at the forum opening Uganda’s State Minister for Fisheries, Fred Mukisa challenged participants to address the challenges that face fish farming in the region like the quality of fish feed, lack of quality fishing methods as well as insufficient technical knowledge and lack of government support to boost the fishing industry.

"East African governments should come up and subsidize fish farmers in their respective countries in order to develop the fishing industry in east Africa” Mukisa disclosed to The New Times. 

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