The Eastern Regional Fisheries Commission has allocated 850 bags of 20 kilogrammes of fish feed out of 2,200 bags of 20 kilogrammes of fish feed to be distributed to fish farmers in the region.

The free distribution was the second phase of activities implemented to promote the Aquaculture for Food and Jobs (AFJ) flagship programme intended to promote fish farming while creating jobs on the aquaculture value chain.

The Eastern Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission, Mr Francis Barnes, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in an interview during the first day of the distribution of the fish feed to farmers who registered under the AFJ.

According to him the 2,200 bags of the 20kg fish feed worth GHS 1.32 million consisted of 900 bags of catfish feed and 1,300 bags of tilapia feed.

Mr Barnes mentioned the Asamankese Senior High School (SHS), Mpraeso SHS,  Osiem SHS, Kosaach Farms, Koforidua Prison and Nsawam Prison as the beneficiary institutions.

He said the WABA, Anyinasin, and Tease Youth Groups were among 10 youth and women's groups in the region, which benefited from the free distribution of the fish feed, saying, “Each beneficiary will receive not less than 100 bags and not more than 200 bags.

“We expect that we will finish distributing these fish feed by the end of this month so that we can move to the second part of pond construction for fish farmers,” he noted.

Mr Barnes recalled that in the quest to promote aquaculture in the region, the Commission received GHS108,000 last year to construct 15 earthen or tarpaulin ponds for three beneficiary institutions, some of which were still under construction.

“The first phase which is the construction of ponds began last year for the Osiem SHS, Anyinasin Youth Group and WABA Women's Group. Each of them will have five tarpaulin or earthen ponds,” he said.

Mr Barnes said another fund of Gh¢135,000 was released this year to the Commission to construct 15 additional earthen or tarpaulin ponds for three new beneficiaries in the region.

The third phase of supporting fish farmers under the AFJ, he stated, was the free distribution of fingerlings to farmers, adding that not all the beneficiaries would receive the three packages.

He explained that “Some would receive all three packages while some will receive two or just one of the packages.”

He encouraged fish farmers and other citizens interested in aquaculture to take advantage of the AFJ to learn and make use of the items distributed to maximize the production of fish to promote food security.

The Chief Executive Officer of Kosaach Farms, Mr Osei Ntim, who produces tilapia on the Afram River, received 100 bags of tilapia feed during the distribution.

He thanked the Ministry of Fisheries for providing for fish farmers under the AFJ to have access to free feed as fish farmers were burdened with buying feed at higher prices in the market.