Locals go into fish farming

Business

THE community of Mt Ogga, a remote area in Western Highlands, was privileged to have one of their own, Brian Yak, back in the community to run training on fish farming for locals.
Fifty people, including 15 women and three persons living with a disability, attended the five-day training on fish farming facilitated by Australia Awards alumnus Yak.
Yak completed a short course in agribusiness from the University of New England, New South Wales, graduating with a Certificate IV in 2018.
He used that knowledge to facilitate the training and encouraged locals to establish fish farms and sell their fish for an income.
“Since the project ended last year, there has been continued interest from youths in the community to join the Mt Ogga Cooperative Society and farm fish to improve their livelihoods,” Yak said.
With the aim of improving the livelihood and food security of his local community, Yak successfully applied for K30,000 from the Australia Awards alumni grants scheme to enhance fish production and food security of the Mt. Ogga people.
The 50 participants have not only learnt new skills and knowledge but transformed their way of living.
Participant, Joseph Abel said: “Before this fish farming project, I was involved in petty crimes.
“When Brian approached the community about this project, I saw this as an opportunity to change.
“This project was a blessing for me.
“I’ve grown spiritually and went to church for the first time in August 2021.”
Participant Sabina Poles added: “Before the fish farming project, women were involved in gambling, but this has changed since the inception of the project.
“Women are now actively supporting their husbands who are members of the cooperative society.
“This has become a shared family responsibility.”
The fish farming project has built the capacity of the Mt Ogga Cooperative Society members and enabled them to understand the dynamics of fish farming.
With their newly acquired skills and knowledge, community members were able to increase production, improve marketing and manage fish production better.
Fish farmed include carp and tilapia species.
“This project has the potential to transform to a commercial level and I see this happening in the near future,” Yak said.
The project is consistent with the development priorities of the agriculture and economic sector contained in Papua New Guinea’s Development Strategic Plan 2010-2030 and Vision 2050, on the key pillars of human development, institutional development, and wealth creation.
With the pressure of a fast-growing population, this project helps provide food security particularly to vulnerable groups such as children, people with disability and those living with HIV/AIDS.
Two successful outcomes of the training included fingerlings distributed to each family member of the training attendees which resulted in the creation of family fishponds.
Yak said aquaculture was key to development in this sector.
Potential challenges include the lack of access to affordable fish feed and quality fish species for small-scale farmers.