Accelerating aquaculture development in Ghana through sustainable Nile tilapia seed production and dissemination (TiSeed)

Introduction

The project supports different stages and actors of the seed value chain. Because live fish are transported to different hatcheries and farmers, attention must be paid to the strategic location of broodstock multiplication centers, hatcheries, and nurseries to reduce travel distances, and to good packaging and handling practices.

“Broodstock” or broodfish are spawning adult fish that produce viable eggs, which develop into healthy fry that are used as seeds and reared to table-size tilapia. Broodstock multiplication centers (BMCs) receive a genetically preserved strain from the nucleus breeding center and breed (multiply) them. The government-run Aquaculture Research and Development Center (ARDEC) is the only broodstock development and multiplication center in Ghana. TiSeed is working with the Fisheries Commission to assess potential facilities’ readiness as BMCs, and provides guidelines and technical support to these potential BMCs.

Midline assessment survey and action research are underway. Visit Ghana Tilapia Seed Project (TiSeed)’s project page.

Aquaculture has surpassed capture fisheries globally in supplying aquatic foods for direct human consumption and is now the world’s fastest growing food value chain. In sub-Saharan Africa, the aquaculture sector is relatively small but has been growing at a double digit rate over the last two decades. Ghana is the sub-continent’s top producer of tilapia. Tremendous growth in Ghana’s aquaculture sector is being driven mainly by large-scale cage farming in Lake Volta. Unfortunately, participation of the poor, women, and youth in this rapidly growing value chain is very limited. Thousands of rural producers in all regions of Ghana have fishponds and cages, and use fish farming to supplement other livelihoods and incomes. However, lack of access to quality fish seed, feed, and good management practices results in low productivity and profitability. The government has launched the Aquaculture for Food and Jobs (AFJ) initiative to improve productivity and profitability of fish farming, particularly supporting small-scale farmers and youth employment in the sector. To understand and strengthen the seed distribution system and test strategies to improve access to quality seed, adoption of good management practices, and productivity and profitability among fish farmers, a consortium of researchers, private hatcheries, and the Ghana Fisheries Commission is implementing the TiSeed research project: Accelerating Aquaculture Development in Ghana through Sustainable Nile Tilapia Seed Production and Dissemination.

Aquaculture production (metric tons), Ghana

The TiSeed project

Fish seed value chain

The project aims to generate and share knowledge on how to best develop the public and private hatchery sector and to promote high-quality Nile tilapia seed and good aquaculture practices among small-scale cage and pond tilapia farmers. The specific objectives are to:

Improve the quality and service of public and private hatcheries

Increase access to and use of high-quality fish seed for new and existing producers, with specific attention to women and youth

The research project is being implemented in Ghana by a consortium led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), with the Water Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-WRI), KIT Royal Tropical Institute in the Netherlands, WorldFish, Ghana Fisheries Commission (a government institution), and two private hatcheries (S-HOINT Ltd. and Crystal Lake Ltd.). The project runs from 2019 to 2022 and is funded by the government of the Netherlands and the CGIAR Research Programs on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) and Fish Agri-Food Systems (FISH).

Fertilized eggs

Larva

Fry

Fingerling

Juvenile

Adult fish

Spawning adult (Broodstock)

General life cycle of a tilapia

Broodstock multiplication centers

Hatcheries are facilities that receive broodstock and produce and condition fish fry (up to 1 gram) or fingerlings (up to 10 grams) for grow-out farmers. There are about 35 active commercial hatcheries: 3 public and 32 private in the 7 most active tilapia producing regions. There are about 5 large-scale fish farmers, with their own hatchery facilities. TiSeed is working with public and private hatcheries to generate an understanding of the quality of seeds being used. TiSeed developed and disseminated a training manual on best practice guidelines and quality standards for hatcheries. TiSeed is strengthening and providing technical support to hatcheries, as well as conducting experimental studies to improve strain performance and management practices in hatcheries. TiSeed also works with the Fisheries Commission to review, update, and validate the certification protocols for hatcheries and nurseries to ensure fish health management standards and maintenance of genetic quality of improved tilapia.

Hatcheries

Nursery facilities receive fish fry (up to 1 gram) and rear them to larger fingerlings (up to 10 grams) or juveniles (up to 30 grams). Nurseries are not common in Ghana. TiSeed is working with the Fisheries Commission to identify and pilot nursery operators that are strategically located near clusters of fish grow-out farmers. The identification and piloting process is based on stakeholder consultations, baseline and spatial analysis, and field visits and assessments.

Nurseries

Grow-out farmers receive fingerlings or juveniles and grow them into table-size fish. Table-size tilapia produced by small-scale grow-out farmers are usually between 200 and 300 grams. About 500 active small-scale tilapia farmers in the six major producing regions in Ghana were identified during a baseline survey. Most fish farmers are also engaged in crop farming and nonfarm businesses, with fish farming supplementing other household income sources. TiSeed provides trainings and low-cost ICT tools to disseminate good aquaculture practices and helps farmers to improve their productivity and incomes. TiSeed sets up cluster-randomized controlled trials and action research to evaluate the impact of these interventions and document the lessons learned.

Grow-out farmers

Feed accounts for 60 to 80 percent of operational costs for tilapia or catfish production. Raanan Feed, a local feed that costs about 30 percent less than imported feeds, is used by 90 percent of farmers raising tilapia and catfish. Most farmers report difficulty in providing the optimal quantity of feed because of the cost. In addition to Raanan, about 5 micro- and small-scale local commercial producers offer cheaper feed. TiSeed is working with these local producers to build viable business models and improve grow-out farmers’ access to more affordable feeds. Grow-out farmers’ own formulation of fish feeds is also common. TiSeed works with the Fisheries Commission to evaluate the impact of feed-formulation trainings, and conducts action research to improve the productivity and profitability of fish feed formulation.

Feed producers

1. Broodstock multiplication centers

2. Hatcheries

3. Nurseries

4. Grow-out farmers

5. Local feed producers

Our activities

Compiles evidence and assessments on the quality of fish seed being used, including genetic characterization, performance trials, and farmer surveys. One TiSeed study shows that while Akosombo is the only tilapia strain legally farmed in Ghana, other strains are being used, and strain mixing and inbreeding are common, resulting in deteriorating quality of fish and unpredictability of yields. TiSeed continues to provide intensive training and technical support to hatcheries on broodstock management and to fish farmers on good aquaculture practices.

Seed quality monitoring

Provides training and technical support and pilots low-cost ICT tools to strengthen the knowledge base and capacity of small-scale farmers—including women, men, and youth. TiSeed developed and disseminated 3 training manuals, which present good management practices in hatcheries, pond tilapia farming and cage tilapia farming. The manuals were carefully drafted and reviewed by a panel of 13 local experts, bringing together the latest developments from other countries and local context adaptation. A series of trainings and one-on-one technical support was conducted that reached 182 farmers, 15 commercial hatchery operators, and 30 FC zonal (extension) officers. Experiments and assessments have been conducted to test effective water treatment practices, optimal fingerling size and stocking density, and good packaging and handling practices.

Promoting good aquaculture practices

Conducts action research to implement seed multiplication and distribution business models to increase farmers’ access to and use of quality tilapia seed. Three business model prototypes are identified: nursery, hatchery, and local feed mill. TiSeed builds the capacity of hatchery and nursery operators and local feed producers to implement inclusive and viable business models, and monitors them through action research. The research specifically aims to identify options to improve the reach and benefits for women and youth, and to provide livelihood and income generation along the fish seed value chain.

Strengthening inclusive business models

Documents the lessons learned on how to improve approaches and interventions to improve fish farming. Baseline data were collected and shared through two stakeholder platforms. TiSeed is working with the University of Ghana and a graduate student to document experiences of women and youth in aquaculture, understand how to support them, and determine how to encourage women and youth to enter and succeed in fish farming. The study is also evaluating current aquaculture extension services and their accessibility to women, men, and youth and identifying gender- and youth-inclusive approaches to training, technology, and information transfer.

Monitoring, evaluation, and learning

Facilitates knowledge-sharing platforms and mobilizes local and national stakeholders for improved policies and regulations and for scaling up innovations and proven approaches. Two stakeholder workshops were organized, and project team members are actively engaged in policy and industry meetings and workshops.

Policy and industry engagement

Seed quality monitoring

Promoting good aquaculture practices

Strengthening inclusive business models

Monitoring, evaluation, and learning

Policy and industry engagement

182

farmers trained

27

hatchery operators supported

11

nursery operators identified and supported

30

extension workers and youth graduates trained

3

discussion papers

5

completed experiments and seed quality assessments

3

training manuals developed and published

15

extension flyers developed and disseminated

12

multistakeholder workshops and experts’ meetings

Over 756

unique visits to the TiSeed resource page

9

MS students mentored

What's next?

Stay in touch!

For more information about International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), visit IFPRI's website.

Learn more about TiSeed’s impact at “Aquaculture training for women, men, and youth: Stories of change” interactive page.

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Coming soon

Release of improved local strain

Improved management practices and technologies

High-quality local feeds (Raanan)

National Aquaculture Development Plan, 2010–2016 (training, zoning, fish health lab, ARDEC upgrading)

Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus

Capacity development

Strengthens institutional and research capacity at the CSIR-Water Research Institute and local universities and colleges (CSIR College of Science and Technology, University of Ghana, University of Energy and Natural Resources, University of Development Studies) through mentorship, short-term trainings, and research partnerships in biological and socioeconomic research.