Project News

As mentioned in the previous project news, the SDG14 project has been conducting capacity-building workshops in collaboration with the University of the South Pacific (USP) since June 2023. These workshops are aimed at enhancing the skills of the officials from the Ministry of Fisheries. This report focuses on the " Tilapia Broodstock Management and Feed Production" workshop conducted as part of the program.

(1) Training at the University of the South Pacific (USP) and Nandoloulou Research Station (NRS)

The workshop commenced on June 19th and continued until June 21st at the University of the South Pacific (USP), located in Suva, Fiji. It brought together fisheries officials from all over the country, including those from the Northern and Western Divisions, totaling 26 participants. The workshop primarily consisted of lecture-style sessions conducted by Dr. Esaroma from USP and Dr. Chinthaka from the Pacific Community (SPC), focusing on the Tilapia Broodstock Management and Feed Production.
Participants learned methods of preparing pellet-type feed using locally available ingredients and engaged in discussions to formulate their own feed formulation, taking into consideration nutritional balance and cost-effectiveness. Following this, from June 24th to June 28th, the same group underwent hands-on training at the Nandoloulou Research Station (NRS) operated by the Ministry of Fisheries. During this practical training, they used pellet-making machines and meat mincers to produce the feed formulated during the earlier workshop. Moreover, three feed groups were set up for comparison: 1) commercially available feeds, 2) imported feeds, and 3) the feed developed by the participants. These groups will undergo growth efficiency tests, and additional experiments will be conducted to assess the stability of the feeds in water and to learn proper feeding techniques.

This workshop not only provided participants with knowledge about feed and feeding practices but also served as a valuable opportunity for nearly all aquaculture staff from different divisions to come together and share their respective challenges and good practices.

(2) Training at Dreketi Aquaculture Test Station (Northern Region, Fiji):

From July 5th to July 7th, a related workshop took place in Dreketi, located in the Northern Division of Fiji, as an extension of the previous training at USP and NRS. Dr. Esaroma Ledua from USP conducted this workshop, with a total of 12 participants. The workshop catered to eight extension officers from the Northern Division and two fieldmen from the Dreketi Aquaculture Research Station.

This workshop also focused on practical training in tilapia feeding and feed preparation. Participants designed and produced their own pellet-type feeds using locally available materials around the Northern Division. Similar to the NRS workshop, they compared the growth efficiency of commercially available feeds with their designed pellets and received hands-on instruction in proper feeding techniques. Additionally, two aquaculture staff from the Suva, who had participated in the previous workshops (@ USP and NRS), attended this training to provide guidance to other participants, further enhancing their own extension officer skills.

(3) Training at Ba Aquaculture Test Station (Western Region, Fiji):

From July 17th to July 19th, a three-day workshop with eight participants was conducted in Ba, located in the Western Division of Fiji. Dr. Esaroma from USP and Dr. Chinthaka from SPC served as the instructors for this workshop. Similar to the previous workshops, it involved 5 extension officers from the Western Division and one (1) fieldman from the Ba Fisheries Service Centre. Additionally, the 2 aquaculture staff from the Suva again, who attended the earlier workshops, participated in this training as assistants for other attendees.

The training in Ba followed a similar structure to the workshops at NRS and Dreketi, with participants developing and producing their own pellet-type feeds using locally available ingredients. The growth efficiency of different feeds, including their designed pellets, will be compared in subsequent experiments. A monitoring visit by the lectures and JICA experts is scheduled for early August.

These workshops have been pivotal in improving the knowledge and skills of the fisheries staff in tilapia aquaculture practices and have provided a platform for sharing experiences and insights among the diverse aquaculture facilities in Fiji.