By Julius Mugaga Tukacungurwa, Umoja Standard.
KAJJANSI-WAKISO: Water quality monitoring, precision aeration, and direct market linkages will define profitability for Uganda’s small and large-scale fish farmers over the next three years, according to Zake Olowo, Aquaculture Technical Consultant at Kajjansi Aquaculture Research Centre.
Speaking during an interview at AQUACULTURE EXPO 2026, currently underway at the Aquaculture Research Development Centre, Olowo said the exhibition is closing a critical gap where many farmers have operated without modern instrumentation necessary for viable production.
He emphasized practical skills for new entrants, focusing on equipment that measures pond depth, assesses water condition, and determines suitability for fish culture. Central to demonstrations are multiparameter water quality testing kits that quantify ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, pH, dissolved oxygen and conductivity, parameters that directly influence fish survival, growth rates and yields.
Olowo also showcased aerators designed to supplement dissolved oxygen beyond atmospheric diffusion, and thermostatically controlled heaters for temperature regulation, technologies he noted most farmers have previously only encountered in theory.
The core insight for exhibitors and visitors, he said, is that solutions long absent from the market are now accessible and operational.
Addressing systemic constraints, Olowo observed that farmers in distant districts have historically lacked reliable extension services and have depended on intermediaries who often provide unverified technical advice.
The expo is bridging that divide by facilitating direct engagement between producers and district fisheries officers as well as certified aquaculture personnel, ensuring accurate guidance from authorized sources.
On market integration, he stated that the convergence of exhibitions, training clinics, technical sessions and the fish festival has enabled farmers, processors and buyers to establish direct commercial linkages, reducing transaction costs and dependence on middlemen.
Olowo projected that the combination of live demonstrations and technical training will shift sector perception from speculation to evidence-based practice, giving farmers demonstrable proof that aquaculture can be a profitable enterprise when managed with precision.
Kajjansi Aquaculture Services Centre, he explained, is mandated to supply production inputs farmers lack, including predator nets, formulated feeds, fingerling and seine nets, and protective equipment such as chest waders and life jackets.
Research by the centre has also targeted fish genetics, specifically addressing inbreeding depression by sourcing broodstock from genetically diverse populations to improve growth performance.
This is the second edition of the expo at Kajjansi, and Olowo said sustained farmer interest confirms a demand for credible, technical information to replace trial-and-error methods in an industry where managing living aquatic organisms demands scientific accuracy.
