Fish Farmer donates books to African fish farmers through SARNISSA – Fishupdate.com

Fish Farmer donates books to African fish farmers through SARNISSA Published:  23 February, 2010

Last year we did a bit of Spring cleaning in the Fish Farmer office and realising that we were running out of storage space we decided to donate fisheries and aquaculture books to people who would use them.

The southern African aquaculture network, SARNISSA, acted as a vital link in the chain, arranging transport to far-off countries and its co-ordinator, Will Leschen has given Fish Farmer an update.

Will says: ‘I was recently out in Malawi for our (SARNISSA’s) Annual Meeting and stakeholders meeting. Already some of your books have gone to Bunda College and others to Natural Resource College, Malawi who are now starting up aquaculture courses. Other books went to Lake Harvest staff in Zimbabwe and also to SON fish farm staff in Uganda. In Kenya books have gone to Moi University and Sagana research station. Also to three small scale fish farmers, a trout farming co-op and KMFRI Marine research station.

‘So thanks very much to you and Fish Farmer for these. I’m pretty sure they have gone to good homes.’

Watson Pasipamire, of Lake Harvest, Zimbabwe said: ‘I would like to thank you on behalf of Lake Harvest management and staff over the donation of books. The books will go a long way to understand the aquaculture subject better. We all thank you.’

Will also told us about Kenyan lady Susan Njeri who runs a small local NGO and was originally growing tomatoes. She found SARNISSA on the internet then through contacts she made on the SARNISSA forum she visited other working fish farms and a research institute. She also downloaded publications and manuals from the SARNISSA website and one year later she is now running an Kamiti integrated fish farm which has now become an attraction for other visitors from schools and other NGOs.

Clearly there is a great demand for aquaculture literature in these countries. I know many readers of Fish Farmer have books gathering dust that could be useful and inspiring to aquaculturalists in developing countries. Please get in touch with Sarnissa or Fish Farmer if you have books that you would like to donate.