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Small-Scale Fish Farming

ECOLOGISTS IN SOUTHEASTERN AFRICA ARE HELPING TO PROVIDE A PROTEIN-RICH DIET AND SOURCE OF INCOME TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY HIV / AIDS.  LEARN HOW ON TODAY’S ENVIRONMINUTE.

MORE THAN A THOUSAND HOUSEHOLDS IN THE AFRICAN COUNTRY OF MALAWI NOW HAVE THEIR OWN SMALL FISH PONDS THANKS TO AN ORGANIZATION CALLED WORLDFISH.  THE RAIN-FED PONDS – WHICH HAVE A SIMILAR SURFACE AREA TO A RESIDENTIAL SWIMMING POOL – ARE DUG INEXPENSIVELY AND STOCKED WITH NATIVE TILAPIAS.  IT’S SMALL-SCALE AQUACULTURE, BUT IT’S MAKING A BIG IMPACT ON PEOPLE AFFECTED BY HIV / AIDS.

THE TILAPIAS ARE A SOURCE OF MUCH-NEEDED PROTEIN FOR THESE FAMILIES AND A SOURCE OF INCOME. THE WATER IN THE PONDS IS ALSO BEING USED TO IRRIGATE CROPS AND BOOST THE PRODUCTION OF MAIZE.

JOSEPH NAGOLI, A RESEARCH ANALYST WITH WORLDFISH, SAYS THE PONDS HAVE SOCIAL BENEFITS, TOO, BECAUSE THEY ENGAGE THE AFFECTED PEOPLE AS ACTIVE COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

THE ENVIRONMINUTE IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE HEINZ FAMILY PHILANTHROPIES AND THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS.  LEARN MORE BY VISITING ENVIRONMINUTE-DOT-COM. 

Learn more from the WorldFish Center.