The Chairman, Catfish Farmers Association of Nigeria (CAFAN), Mr Moses Onoja, has called for more focus on the aquaculture sector which he said is capable of generating N1 trillion revenue for the country.
He noted on Monday that the aquaculture sector was a very lucrative part of agriculture if more attention is paid to harnessing its development and growth.
“Catfish farming is very lucrative and can be taken to a level where people can take it as a secure means of livelihood.
“If focus is centred on fish farming in Nigeria, we can generate more than N1 trillion as revenue annually.
“The oil sector generated less than a trillion naira last year but if adequate focus is placed on agriculture, specifically on aquaculture, we can do more.
“If we are to take aquaculture business serious, then we should not be importing fish into the country,” the CAFAN boss said.
According to Onoja, aquaculture can create jobs for more than a million Nigerians across its value-chain if well harnessed.
“When catfish farming is done on a commercial scale, it can be opportunity for job creation across its value-chain. From the cultivation to transportation, sales and even processing of the fish and its by-products.
“Millions of Nigerians will be taken off the street if we harness the potentials in fish farming; they will empower through attainment of skills in aquaculture.
“There is no state in the country that does not have water passing through it, it is either you find a river, river or a lake.
“All these aforementioned waterbodies are fresh water but we are underutilising their potentials on boosting catfish farming in Nigeria,” Onoja said.
