Farmers under the umbrella of the Association of Fish Farmers in Kwara State (AFFAK) have decried the rising cost of feeds and other inputs in the production of catfish.

The association said prices of feeds and other inputs were rising every day, but the price of fish per kilogramme was relatively stable.

AFFAK President, Gen. Tayo Olasupo (rtd), spoke exclusively with The Nation on the sidelines of a practical demonstration programme by the farmers on proper planning and record keeping, as well as pond preparation.

The one-day demonstration was tagged: "FISH4ACP cluster upgrading programme."

The programme is the outcome of 24 weeks of intensive training for catfish farmers in the state.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, in partnership with ACP as well as the European Union and German Cooperation, co-founded the training.

The Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Archdiocese of Ibadan is carrying out the training.

Olasupo said many catfish farmers were opting out as they were operating at a loss, urging state and federal governments to establish commodity boards to ensure farmers were not short-changed.

He said: "Federal Government can facilitate grants for farmers through the Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry. There is little the Federal Government can do. All of us have to play our own part.

"Research institutes should look into alternative feeds, expansion of markets and other things.

"Price of catfish per kilo is not commensurate with the rising prices of goods in the country. A kilo of fish about two years ago was in the range of N1,800 to N2,300. But the price today is less than N2,600. Most farmers are resilient. They believe there are good times and bad times. I urge government to subsidise fish feeds."

He advised feeds producers to liaise with the association by way of subsidy to ease accessibility to feeds.

The Director of Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nasir Akogun, said limited access to input finance posed a major challenge to the sustainability of catfish farming.

He added: "Aquaculture remains a vital contributor to employment, income generation and food security in the state. Beyond its economic value, it plays an important role in improving access to affordable animal protein."

The JDPC representative, Anthony Adedeji, said the one-year training, which entered its 24th week, began in October last year.

He added that the one-day demonstration was for the farmers to showcase what they had gained theoretically.