Characterization of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Farm-2 ing Intensities in Liberia

Abstract

Fish farming is a rapidly growing food sector in developing nations. Liberia is an example 10 of least developed country with a large population facing high poverty levels. This has led to adop-11 tion of aquaculture as one of the most important strategies for solving malnutrition and food secu-12 rity problems. However, since the introduction of fish farming, fish yields have been persistently 13 low. To address the shortcomings in fish yields in Liberia, a study was conducted to provide infor-14 mation on fish farming intensities, types, and quality of feeds used by farmers in the culture of O. 15 niloticus in Bong, Lofa, Nimba, and Grande Gedeh counties. Using stratified purposive sampling, 16 120 farmers were interviewed, and their fish feeds were sampled for proximate nutrient analyses. 17 The results demonstrated that fish farming of O. niloticus in Liberia is mostly semi-extensive (81.6%), 18 mainly practiced in paddy, barrage, and earthen ponds. On average, farmers produce 165.7 kgha-19 1of O.niloticus annually, translating to USD 414.25. Farmers use mixed feeding regimes, comprising 20 farmer-made, kitchen waste, and blended commercial feeds. Farmers, on average, spend 43% of 21 their operation cost on feeds, which makes it unsustainable to maintain semi-intensive systems. The 22 main feed ingredients used by Liberian fish farmers are rice bran, wheat bran, corn, palm kernel, 23 and fishmeal. Crude protein levels in feed ingredients are as follows: rice bran (3.7±1.3%), wheat 24 bran (16.4±1.5%), corn (6.3±1.1%), palm kernel cake (14.8±1.4%) and fish meal (63.8±1.3%). Crude 25 proteins were low in formulated feeds, ranging from 8%-15% CP. From this study, poor yields and 26 the slow growth of the O.niloticus can be attributed to low protein diets, rendering farming ventures 27 unprofitable and unsustainable for poor resource farmers in Liberia.