Michael Okpara University to generate N800m annually from catfish production —VC

Prof. Hillary Edeoga, the Vice Chancellor of Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU, Abia, has said the school was targeting N800 million annually from catfish production.

Edeoga told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday, in Umuahia, that a substantial part of the revenue generated internally by the institution, was from fish farming.

He said that the Fishery/Aquaculture and Poultry departments had been rehabilitated to ensure their viability and productivity.

Edeoga said that on assumption of duty as vice-chancellor, the university poultry buildings had no birds, adding that “there are thousands of birds now.

“On assumption of duty as the vice chancellor, l met a Fishery/Aquaculture department without a single tadpole, but today one of the sources of our internally generated revenue, is our fish pond.

“We have a project called operation ‘Produce one million catfish in a year.’ If you produce one million catfish in a year, each weighing minimum of one kilogram, we have gotten N800m because one catfish of one kg costs N800.

“We rehabilitated the hatchery project. Today, the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has recognized this institution in terms of fingerling research and production. We now supply to fish farmers in the South –East,” he said.

The vice chancellor said that in recognition of the university’s efforts in fish farming, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture donated two vehicles to the institution.

He said that from internally-generated revenue, he had tarred all the roads in the school, adding that more projects would be implemented.

He said that MOUAU was in collaboration with more than five foreign universities on research development.

“In September 2014, we renewed our collaboration with the Kentucky State University over a broad range of programmes in fisheries and aquaculture, forest food resources, extension-farmer outreach programme and general exchange programmes, involving staff and students, in various disciplines,” he said.