By Editor
Hindered by sharp division among its members in the past, Ekiti State Fish Farmers under a new name-Ekiti State Fisheries and Aquaculture Farmers Association yesterday, received its own share of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s maize palliatives As part of efforts to boost fish production in the state.
But the Association, in what observers saw as thinking outside the box, employed simple innovation of processing the raw maize into fish feeds to be shared amongst its members in the value chain.
At a Stakeholders meeting held at Isinla Fish Farm behind Ekiti State High Court Ado Ekiti on Wednesday, the State Chairman of the Association, Dr Adebayo Ebenezer Temitope emphasized the need for unity, cooperation and love amongst fish farmers in the state as he expressed the state government’s unwillingness to work with a divided house.
Adebayo who disclosed that out of 500 bags donated by the State government, his executive had a partnership agreement with a fish feeds manufacturer who produced 498 bags of feeds which according to him, would ensure that the maize palliative is used for the purpose it was meant for.
Speaking to our correspondent during the meeting, SSA to the Governor on Agric Extension, Dr Olowoyo Sikiru said; “We are here to identify with the fish farmers in Ekiti State as we all know that fishery is a significant sector of agriculture that we believed that we need to intensify our efforts to ensure that we have sufficient fish supply to the people. These are the farmers and we have talked to them that there’s need for them to come together, work in unity under one association in order to benefit from government intervention and also to increase their productivity”
Continuing, the Chief guest at the occasion said: “The policy of the present administration actually focuses on what we call cluster farming where different groups of fish farmers can come together under one cluster to do their farm together this would ensure security and profitability for the farmers. These are the things the government is looking into because the Governor wants productivity and he wants people in this business to be profitable as well”
In a separate interview, Dr Adebayo, the President of the Association said the meeting was convened to appreciate Governor Biodun Oyebanji for the gesture of giving Ekiti fish farmers maize as palliatives to cushion the effect of fish feeds and feeding.
“We’ve turned our maize into fish feeds which happens to be one of the best fish feeds in Nigeria and we are collating names of our members to be able to share the palliatives”
He sheds more light on the disunity amongst the members of the Association; “Before now, we don’t have one voice but late last year, we began to come up under my leadership and every other factions have agreed together under the umbrella of Ekiti Fisheries and Aquaculture Farmers Association still under my chairmanship and that is why we are here today”
On the prospects of the new realignment Adebayo said; “With this, we are very sure that our Farmers will be in a better stand in the sense that they will have access to information, training and even palliatives as this, they will also have access to grants and subsidy, knowledge sharing, then the unity will make us to have solution over price control as we would be able to speak with one voice” he stated
He applauded the governor of Ekiti State for extending the kind gesture to members of his Association.
His words; “I will rather described him by his acronym-BAO because Bow in Yoruba means somebody you respect, somebody you take a bow for who’s doing great”
On the impact of the palliatives to the crashing of prices of fish in the market, Dr Adebayo opined that the gesture will definitely have impact on fish prices but may not be significant.
According to him; “The quantity of palliatives that we have access to is not sufficient to be able to make it have a significant impact. Having significant impact means we must operate at 95% but what we have now is less than 5% nevertheless, the effect will still be felt”
Earlier, the DG, Community Communication Ekiti State, Mary Omotosho has appraised the innovation by the association, stating that it is a motivation for the government.
She said: “This is quite innovative and it is very encouraging, from our side, if they have done this it means they can do more, and this is what the government is really looking for; this has shown that if we give them more they will do more.
“Coming here, we have discovered that we need to go extra mile to also help to probably get more feeds, and what to do to get quality fish; this is another way of solving the problems.”
