Title: Viability of aquaculture in Uganda

This study was conducted in Uganda to examine the viability of small and medium scale pond aquaculture. Data from 38 fish farms was collected through a questionnaire and telephone interviews. Additional data was obtained from input suppliers and service providers in the aquaculture industry. The start-up costs for an average pond of 1000 m2 were computed and compared with results of analysis of primary data from the questionnaire. Data were also analyzed for correlations between production and total feed used per cycle, average pond size, total pond area used, total seed stocked and labour. Results indicated significant relationships between fish production and the number of seed stocked and average pond size. A significant relationship was found between average pond size and cost of construction. The relationship between fish production and total pond area at the farms, stocking density, and farm labour, were not significant. The cost of production is very high compared to the average market prices and hence many farmers sell at a loss. The average cost of feed is still high and greatly influences the cost of production. The study did not assess labour costs due to lack of reliable data. The fish farms were found to be constrained by poor management, feed (cost, quality, and access), poor extension services, poor infrastructure, and markets.