| dc.description.abstract | In 2020, fisheries sub-sector contributed 2.3% to the national Gross Domestic Product and annual per capita consumption was estimated at about 10.1kg in 2022. However, a critical deficiency in accessing information on fish feed management poses challenges, hindering the optimization of feed resources and desired outcomes in fish farming. The lack of information on fish farmers' preferences and the accessibility of various fish feeds in the local market exacerbates these challenges. Thus, a survey using structured questionnaire on preference, availability, and accessibility of fish feeds within Wakiso district was carried out covering sub-counties of Bususkuma, Mende, Luwunga, Nangabo and Wakiso town council with a sample size of 34 respondents. Results revealed that 79.4% of the surveyed fish farmers were male, with the majority falling within the 41-50 age group (50%). While 35.3% had achieved O-level education and 26.5% had A-level qualifications, a noteworthy gender imbalance persisted, underscoring the prevalent trend within the agricultural sector. Small-scale production was characterized by a production level of less than 10 metric tons per year representing 94.1% of respondents. Regarding fish feed preferences, 79.4% of respondent’s preferred imported feeds with Koudijs being the most preferred brand (70.1%). The driving force behind this preference was the perception of better quality and nutritional content (88.9%). In contrast, 20.6% of farmers opted for locally produced feeds, including Ugachick (42.9%) and other locally sourced ingredients like maize bran. The primary reason for using locally produced feeds was the availability of locally sourced ingredients (57.1%). In terms of accessibility to fish feeds, 38.2% of respondents found it very easy or fairly easy, while 22.6% encountered difficulties, rating their access as fairly difficult or very difficult. Key challenges included long distances (41.2%) and high transport costs (32.4%). A significant portion of respondents (55.9%) had to travel over 20 kilometers to access fish feeds, while 23.5% traveled 5-10 kilometers. Furthermore 47.1% of respondents perceived certain fish feed types to be more expensive than others, with 20.6% attributing the higher costs to imported feeds. Diversity in feed preference highlights the existence of alternative strategies in fish feeding and the role of traditional or locally available resources in fish farming hence more research should be geared towards achieving production of high quality feeds using locally available resources and device means to promote their adoption. | en_US |
