CARI Aquaculture Inland Fisheries Unit Harvests Stunted Tilapia, Craves Partners’ Assistance 

By CARI staff writer

SUAKOKO, Liberia- Amid stunted tilapia harvested from one of the 24 fishponds at the Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), the head of the livestock, aquaculture, and inland fisheries program craves partners’ support to improve the quality of result-driven research.

Dr. Mandela Hinneh, reveals that the pond did not produce the size and quantity of fish expected due to lack of feed. The program consists of two units: livestock, and aquaculture and inland fisheries.

“Over the years,” the head of the program adds, “we have requested funds to buy feed with high ingredients, but all of what we normally get is no money, so, we’ve been managing by ourselves.”

Harvested below 100 grams, the tilapia did not meet optimal growth. “The fish are stunted due to lack of quality feed. We have trained technicians specializing in feed, but the problem is lack of financial will,” according to the head of the program.

Based on the current ARREST agenda, the program conducts research on three main species, including tilapia, catfish, and other species. The acronym for the national development agenda, ARREST, stands for Agriculture, Road, Reconstruction, Education, Security and Tourism.

Under the program, the aquaculture and inland fisheries unit, there are five specialized researchers responsible for fingerlings, fries, and feed productions that are backed by a surveillance team for both aquatic and terrestrial diseases. 

Over the years, CARI has continued to find meaningful and productive partnerships and ensure that collaborations have a direct bearing on finding innovative solutions to major problems in the agricultural sector of Liberia.

But, with meager or no resources to support research activities in recent years, it is highly unlikely that the program is going to achieve its objective. 

For more than 50 years since the construction in the 1950s and 1960s by the West African Rice Development Agency (WARDA), all 24 fishponds have yet to be rehabilitated. Lack of feed and medication is normal, and sluice and floodgates are broken, with capacity challenges leaving a widening gap between researchers, extension officers, and smallholder farmers. Among these 24 fishponds, only six are being used for research.

However, the program is contemplating rehabilitating the pond that was harvested. “As you can see, we are going to do some work and remove the mud that has accumulated over time. We do not have money, but whatever is going to be generated from the sale of the stunted fish will be used to rehabilitate only this pond.”

The head of the program used the occasion to call on partners and the donor community to support the department in rehabilitating one of the ponds. “We need more than $1,000.00 to repair the floodgates and to also remove the mud that has accumulated over the years.”

According to Dr. Hinneh, projects that have been implemented in Liberia over the years have focused on energy-source feed, mostly carbohydrates for fish. “The 20 amino acids are balanced when the animal protein is involved, and to have a perfectly balanced diet, you must have an animal source of protein.”

Stressing the role it plays in the human body, Dr. Hinneh maintained that protein derived from fish is important for the skin, and the development of children's brains.

Similarly, Gregg Degan, head of the livestock unit, expressed frustration, citing a lack of medication for small and large remnants, especially protein-source feed for goats, sheep, and pigs.

The head of the livestock unit, who also specialized in animal nutrition, named theft as one of the key challenges affecting research activities at the piggery. “The area is vulnerable and the animals are not protected from thieves that come sneaking at night from the neighboring communities.” 

The new Central Agricultural Research Institute Strategic Plan (2023-2030) which supposedly took effect in January last year, mandates livestock and fisheries research to develop and promote integrated livestock product value chains. 

The seven-year NSP confines the program to provide best practices, including market-oriented information and knowledge to empower livestock and fisheries producers and value chain actors to produce and sell products that meet market demands and international quality standards. 

Established by the Act approved by the national legislature on December 22, 2014, CARI, among other things, has a mandate to build and establish a strengthened research capacity that underpins and supports the agriculture component of the national development agenda by establishing, building, and sustaining programs and interventions supportive of a commercially-oriented agricultural sector propelled by research, technology transfer, innovations, knowledge and approaches that would contribute to an improved quality of life for Liberians and partners.