It’s a story of innovation; where local fish farmers in the Simbu Province are using garden food like sweet potato (Kaukau) and cassava, to make fish feed, or aquafeed.
On the last day of the World Indigenous Business Forum (WIBF) at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby, PNGHAUSBUNG spoke to the Simbu Inland Fish Farmers Cooperative Society (SIFFCS) who are main characters behind this story.
The SIFFCS are being assisted in the creation of this aquafeed, by the National Fisheries Authority.
At the SIFFCS booth set up at the APEC Haus in Port Moresby, there were displays of the ground root vegetables that the SIFFCS have been producing and using as aquafeed
Provincial Fisheries Officer, Francisca Imbo, who was manning the SIFFCS booth, explained that the product that was on display, was from 5 years of research and perfecting, to reach the aquafeed that they have today.
“Aquafeed is very expensive and most of the rural fish farmers cannot afford it.
That is why the National Fisheries Authority, have been working with these rural fish farmers, to come up with this alternative.”
Francisca added that the SIFFCS made aquafeed has become quite popular in the province and Highlands Region.
“Even the Enga Provincial Government, have reached out to us in the past, to buy this aquafeed.”
She said they had an international visitor to their booth the other day, who was thoroughly impressed with how well-nourished their Salmon was, from feeding off their own aquafeed.
She went on to explain that despite their aging equipment, the SIFFCS continue to produce this aquafeed; a story that she was proud to tell to the visitors to their stall, at the 14th WIBF.