Don urges youth to engage in tilapia farming for self-sufficiency

A don, Dr Hassan Kanti, has advised unemployed youths to go into Tilapia (fish) farming to be self-sufficient.

Kanti, a lecturer at the Department of Fishery, Federal College of Horticulture, Dadin/Kowa, Gombe, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Thursday.

He said he was specific about tilapia because the farming required little capital to set up when compared to catfish farming.

“The farming has a lot of advantages. You can hire a pond because tilapia rearing is not good on concrete floor or large bowl.

“You will require a little quantity of feeds to grow tilapia because it feeds on planktons.

“With this kind of fish farming, you don’t need to buy fingerlings always because tilapia reproduces in large numbers within few months.

“Besides, the farming requires a simple set up and low cost of maintenance,’’ he said.

He said he had trained several youths on tilapia farming who are doing well instead of seeking for a white collar job, which was not readily available.

He added that tilapia had a lot of health benefits, which include Omega 3, low fat and contains calcium, magnesium and proteins which are good for children.

He stressed that with the Federal Government restrictions on frozen food importation, there was market for fish farming. (NAN)