In Uganda, Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga are the major sources of quality protein, in the form of various species of fish. The Lake Victoria and Kyoga fishery provides employment and income to communities living in the Lake region and other parts of the country. It is also a major source of foreign exchange through exports of fish, mainly Nile perch fillets.

Over the last two decades, the fishery has shifted from a complex multi-species fishery to one dominated by only three fish species of Nile perch and tilapia. Over the last 3-5 years, there has been evidence of decline in catch-per-unit effort and the average sizes of fish caught – while the fishing effort (in terms of fishers, fishing gear and crafts) has been rising steadily. Environmental threats also pose a great danger to fish production from the lake.

The increase in human population and reports of large numbers of people, undernourished or starving, has made the need for food production a major worldwide issue of concern. For most lakes and rivers, the maximum sustainable fishing limit has been exceeded. Fish production will have to depend on aquaculture to bridge the gap of fish supply.

Soroti Fish farming project will create sustainable employment for 500 youths in Soroti rural villages in East Uganda and support the surrounding communities with an alternative source of protein and modern fish farming techniques to hundreds of residents in the district – thereby create livelihoods for many more families.

The plan is to build up to three 40 x 30 metres ponds to farm cat fish and fresh water tilapia on the one acre farm in Olocoi village, 29kms from Soroti.

AtlasAction: Help Hands for Children raise the funds needed to dig the ponds and stock them with fish.