By Ibrahim Babangida Lawal
The Aquaculture Association of the FCT and its Environs (AQUAFEN) has brought to a triumphant close its 2025 Practical Training and Mentorship Programme on Fish Farming, an intensive three-day convergence of aquaculture practitioners, stakeholders, and enthusiasts, staged at the picturesque Alpha Farms, Wupa Brazil, adjacent to the Idu Train Station, Abuja, from August 14 to 16.
Guided by the thematic focus “Sustainability and Profitability in an Emerging and Evolving Market,” the programme interwoven immersive, hands-on practicums with erudite, expert-led discourses designed to empower both seasoned operators and budding entrants with the strategic competencies, operational acumen, and forward-looking insights necessary to prosper within Nigeria’s rapidly expanding aquaculture landscape.
The Grow-out Session meticulously dissected critical pillars of aquaculture enterprise, including:
Advanced Water Management Techniques for Grow-out Farms
Streamlined Farm Operations & Codified Daily Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
Precision Feeding Schedules and Scientific Rationing Protocols
Empirical Data Capture & Performance Analytics (Biomass Metrics, FCR Calculations)
Fish Nutritional Science & Sustainable Feed Manufacturing (Practical Application)
Market-Oriented Production Strategies (Hybrid and Alternative Stock)
Coordinated Approaches to Surplus Management & Mitigation of Market Apathy
Projections for the Freshwater Blue Economy in Nigeria
Strategic Expansion & Governmental Liaison for Land and Water Resource Access
Harnessing the Potency of Cooperatives for Enhanced Profitability
The event drew an eclectic assembly of participants from within and far beyond the FCT, a testament to its burgeoning significance as a crucible for technical capacity building and industry networking.
Dignifying the occasion with his presence, Mr. Jonah Sabo Dabit, Director of the FCT Fisheries Department, extolled AQUAFEN’s unwavering commitment to cultivating a knowledge-driven aquaculture ecosystem. He further disclosed imminent governmental interventions poised to invigorate the sector, fortify production capabilities, and expand farmers’ access to critical inputs and infrastructure.
In his closing remarks, AQUAFEN Chairman, Mr. Adekunle Julius Adeju, lauded the intellectual vigour and practical engagement displayed by participants, while commending the organisational prowess of Engr. Bayo Oyelude, Director of Research & Documentation, and Mr. Anthony Emeka Udeh, Director of Price & Quality Control, whose coordinated stewardship ensured the programme’s resounding success.
The 2025 edition of the AQUAFEN Practical Training not only reaffirmed the association’s stature as a vanguard of innovation and collaboration but also underscored its pivotal role in steering Nigeria’s aquaculture value chain towards a sustainable, profitable, and globally competitive future.
