1. INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN AQUACULTURE VALUE CHAIN IN THE NIGER DELTA BY DR. ONOME A. DAVIES faward DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES & AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT, RIVERS STATE UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA Email & phone number.: daviesonome@yahoo.com, 08030879120 Lead Paper delivered at the third Niger Delta Development Forum (NDDF), Monty Suites, Calabar, Cross River State November 25 & 26, 2014

2. INTRODUCTION FGN intervention to increase fish production in the Niger Delta started in 1962 and continue this date [Aquaculture Transformation Implementation Plan under Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA)]. States Govt. & privates investors buy this idea as the years go by (especially from 2003). Brackish Water Aquaculture Station, Buguma- 1962- 1967, interruption due to Civil War, 1970-date. African Regional Aquaculture Centre for Nig. Inst. For Oceanography & Marine Research (ARAC/NIOMR) (3 stations: Aluu, Buguma & Sapele)-1980-date.

3. Songhai farms, Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA) Community Fish Farms, ONIDA (Buguma Fish Farm Nig. Ltd), Ellah Lakes & a number of other private farms in Rivers State. Songhai farms, United Ufuoma Fish Farmers Association (UUFFA), Delta State Development Project (DIDP), Accelerated Artisan Fish Production Project (AAFPP) Aghogho Farms (WRS) in Delta State. Bayelsa Investment Promotion Agency (BIPA) (Epie Creek Aquaculture Project, Etegwe Aquaculture Project), Niger Delta Seafood (Hatchery for catfish & tilapia, cage culture) & a number of other private farms in Bayelsa State.

4. Songhai Cross River Initiative (SCRI), Fadama lll Project, Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES) in Cross River State. National Fadama Development Programme – III in Akwa Ibom State. Accelerated Artisan Fish Production Project (AAFPP) in Edo. Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries Project (2005), AAFPP, in Ondo State. National Fadama Development Programme – III in Abia State. Imo State Agricultural Development Project (IMADP) in Imo State.

5. Investment opportunities in aquaculture (aquatic animals) Brackish & Inland aquaculture farms (pond, tank, cage, pen, water recirculation system, etc) for finfish (catfish, tilapia, mullets, etc), shellfish (shrimps), other aquatic animals (frogs). Processing [frozen, smoked, dried, salted, canned, fillets, sausages (fish cake)]. Marketing (live and processed fish for local & export markets). Fish feed, fishmeal & fish oil (Presently, a large percentage of high quality floating fish feed are imported; about 45,000 metric tons in 2010). Preservation & storage of fish (cold storage facilities).

6. Farm equipment (nets, air pumps, aerators, etc). Tourism (education, sport fishing). Special eateries/restaurants (point & kill). Biofuel production (briquettes, biogas). Organic buffers

7. Investment opportunities in aquatic plants farming Green fuel (biogas, briquettes) from aquatic plants (water hyacinth, duckweed, water lily, phytoplankton, etc) for fish smoking. Feed production (water hyacinth, duckweed, water lily, phytoplankton, zooplankton). Live food from phytoplankton (Spirulina, Chorella, Scenedesmus) and zooplankton (rotifers, Daphnia and Artemia nauplii). Organic buffers Oils, chemical, pharmaceuticals (antibiotics, glucolipids content in blue- green algae active against HIV/AIDS virus) & polysaccharides from phytoplankton. Phytoplankton & macrophytes for sewage treatment, water recovery facilities (to remove primary nutrients) & eutrophication control.

8. Key constraints to aquaculture Fund (insufficient & wrong disbursement) Power (erratic or no supply) Lack of good fisheries infrastructure Insufficient & quality inputs Water quality of source water High cost of production (feed, seed, power supply, labour) Poor aquaculture practice Climate change Insecurity (kidnapping, piracy, poaching) & conflicts Fish mongers influence on marketing Inadequate skilled manpower

9. Incompetent fisheries experts & impostors Inaccessibility to loans and credit facilities High interest rate on agricultural loan in commercial banks Lack of good regulatory and institutional framework for aquaculture development Lack of knowledge in modern fish handling techniques Poor transportation strategies Research (no grants) & poor extension service Gap between researchers & policy makers Non-compliance to environmental laws Corruption

10. The way forward Sufficient & right disbursement of fund Subsidy on inputs Good aquaculture practice (GAP) Increase awareness of aquaculture products Training and manpower development Government & private supports Formation of Fish Farmers’ Cooperatives Societies Access to loans and credit facilities Promotion of research and extension activities Effective policies and good institutional framework Certification of products Reducing the problems of corruption, insecurity and conflicts

11. CONCLUSION Aquaculture value chain offers profitable investment opportunities in the Niger Delta. Public & private investors are therefore encouraged to tap these opportunities for sustainable fish supply for the increasing population, demand, job creation, poverty alleviation, food security and employment.

12. Thank you for listening.