Fish producer associations in Nangarhar and Laghman provinces and fish farmers from other parts of Afghanistan have purchased at least 70,000 fingerlings from the hatchery.
Fish hatcheries are a key component of the cultured fish value-chain. Hatcheries provide fish seed, which is
USAID/ASMED
Netting carp at the Rahmat Insaf Fish Farm.
one of the main inputs required by fish farmers. The availability of fish seed is a primary constraint on the broader development of fish farming. Until recently, fish farmers in most parts of Afghanistan depended on supplies of fish seed transported from Pakistan, a long journey that resulted in considerable losses and weakness of surviving fish. The fish fingerlings are only available at a high cost to farmers, one of the main obstacles to developing the 180 fish farms of eastern Afghanistan.
With support from USAID, a fish hatchery in Jalalabad now produces carp seed for sale to local fish farmers. Through a value-chain improvement grant, USAID improved the quantity, efficiency, and quality of the water supply, and provided technical assistance to improve hatchery management practices. With this support, the hatchery now produces more carp seed than ever. The hatchery worked closely with international aquaculture expert Dr. John Hargreaves to improve their techniques and methods for the spawning process. The hatchery was modified to treat incoming water in a settling basin and to heat water in rooftop tanks, which will improve survival rates of fingerlings and overall health of their fish stock in coming hatching seasons. A solar power system was also installed to power the water pumping system, which is expected to save the hatchery up to $12,000 annually.
In 2010, the hatchery produced only 70,000 carp fingerlings, but in 2011, 750,000 to 850,000 hatchlings were stocked into nursery ponds. With improvements to the ponds provided by USAID, further increases in the production and survival rates are expected next season.
“I’m happy and pleased with USAID’s support, and am confident about the future of our hatchery,” said Haji Ghulam, owner of the Rahmat Insaf Fish Hatchery.
The hatchery is poised to play an important role supporting the expansion of the fish farming sector in eastern Afghanistan by providing the important input of fish seed, as well by providing technical information on best practices to farmers, further improving the potential to enhance rural livelihoods through fish farming.
Carp Hatchery Supports Fish Farmers