Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Scienceshttp://dir.muni.ac.ug/xmlui/handle/20.500.12260/12024-03-29T08:01:04Z2024-03-29T08:01:04ZNutritional requirements and effect of culture conditions on the performance of the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus): a reviewLangi, SandraMaulu, SahyaHasimuna, Oliver J.Kapula, Veronica KaleinashoTjipute, Martinhttp://dir.muni.ac.ug/xmlui/handle/20.500.12260/6232024-03-15T10:32:57Z2024-01-23T00:00:00ZNutritional requirements and effect of culture conditions on the performance of the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus): a review
Langi, Sandra; Maulu, Sahya; Hasimuna, Oliver J.; Kapula, Veronica Kaleinasho; Tjipute, Martin
Aquaculture is crucial for global food and nutrition security due to the inability of wild harvests to meet increasing demand. Africa’s contribution to aquaculture is generally low, despite its potential for economic development, food security, and reduced unemployment. The study focuses on the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) a freshwater fish species that is widely farmed for food in Africa and other parts of the world. Proper nutrition is essential for the growth and development of the fish, and understanding their nutritional requirements is critical for producing healthy and high-quality fish. This review article provides an overview of the knowledge on the nutritional requirement of the African catfish, including protein, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. The recommended protein content for juvenile fish is between 40 and 50% and for adult fish is between 30 and 40%. Based on the reviewed studies, the recommended amount of methionine in C. gariepinus diets ranges from 18.7 to 29.7 g/kg of protein while the lysine requirement ranges from 44.9 to 62.2 g/kg protein). The recommended lipid content in the diet is between 5–15% for juvenile fish and 5–10% for adult fish. The African catfish requires a low-carbohydrate diet, with recommended carbohydrate content between 26 and 32%. They require a variety of vitamins, including vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin C, as well as minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Clarias gariepinus also require a variety of essential and non-essential amino acids. Besides the nutritional requirements, culture conditions also have a significant effect on the feed performance. The recommended conditions include temperature ranging from 28 to 32 °C, Light intensity of 150 Lx, 12D:12L photoperiod, and stocking density in earthen of 7 fish m−3. Overall, understanding the nutritional requirements of C. gariepinus is crucial for the successful fish farming and sustainable aquaculture. Information in this review will be built to further guide the development of feeds for C. gariepinus.
2024-01-23T00:00:00ZIntegration of probiotics in aquaponic systems: an emerging alternative approachKasozi, NasserIwe, Gerald DeguWalakira, JohnLangi, Sandrahttp://dir.muni.ac.ug/xmlui/handle/20.500.12260/5632023-10-05T21:26:23Z2023-08-28T00:00:00ZIntegration of probiotics in aquaponic systems: an emerging alternative approach
Kasozi, Nasser; Iwe, Gerald Degu; Walakira, John; Langi, Sandra
The increasing demand on water resources, reduced land for agriculture, and concerns over food and nutrition security have prompted the evolution of innovative and complex food production systems. In this context, efficient and sustainable food production systems such as aquaponics are viewed as an important and environmentally friendly technology for adaptation under resource-limited environments. Producing food in soilless systems is a promising strategy, as this method utilizes significantly less water than traditional agriculture. However, optimizing growing conditions to enhance crop and fish yields in aquaponics is frequently ambiguous and is often not economically feasible. One of the strategies to improve plant yields and supply of nutrients in aquaponics is the application of probiotics. With this strategy, the crop yields in aquaponics are improved via a variety of mechanisms, including nitrogen fixation, solubilization of mineral nutrients, organic matter mineralization, plant hormone modulation, and biocontrol. As a result, incorporating probiotics in aquaponic systems is a strategy for mitigating environmental effects and advancing sustainable agriculture. This review paper provides the current knowledge of the use of probiotics in aquaponics. Suggestions for further studies on the effects of probiotics in aquaponic systems are proposed. Through literature review, integrating probiotics into aquaponic systems has the potential to improve nutrient supply, modulation of water quality parameters, and microbial communities, which are key processes in enhancing the productivity of aquaponic systems.
2023-08-28T00:00:00ZScaling aquaculture for food security and employment in Africa – Insights from Egypt, Kenya and NigeriaWalakira, John K.Hinrichsen, EtienneTarus, VictoriaLangi, SandraIbrahim, Nabil AhmadBadmus, OlanrewajuAziz, AndrewBaumüller, Heikehttp://dir.muni.ac.ug/xmlui/handle/20.500.12260/5622023-10-05T21:08:45Z2023-06-01T00:00:00ZScaling aquaculture for food security and employment in Africa – Insights from Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria
Walakira, John K.; Hinrichsen, Etienne; Tarus, Victoria; Langi, Sandra; Ibrahim, Nabil Ahmad; Badmus, Olanrewaju; Aziz, Andrew; Baumüller, Heike
Aquaculture is the fastest growing food sector in the world and now accounts for more than half of the fish consumed globally. However, the sector in Africa remains in its infancy, with the notable exception of Egypt, one of the world’s largest producers. This paper provides a thorough analysis of the sector in the selected countries of Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria to help identify investment and policy priorities that can sustainably advance aquaculture across Africa to boost income and employment, rural development and food security. The analysis focuses on nine themes to ensure a comprehensive overview of the sector and to better understand the relative strengths and weaknesses in each country: sector trends, national policy frameworks, government institutions, natural resources to support aquaculture, sector-specific innovation, feed and seed, market access, public-private partnerships, and sectoral impacts. With these in mind, the paper provides a series of recommendations for African policymakers and investors aimed at improving sectoral development across the continent. Among other factors, the recommendations highlight the need to not only increase productive capacity but also linkages to markets and consumers, adopt national policies that provide targeted support to high-potential areas, increase local research capacities and scaling of research results, decentralize seed and feed production for improved access, and promote sustainably produced fish as a promising source of animal-derived protein.
2023-06-01T00:00:00ZEffect of phosphorus-based fertilizer on groundnut yield and incidence of groundnut rosette disease in West Nile Region of UgandaAbaca, AlexOdama, EmmanuelKomakech, AlfredKassim, SadikWalakira, John K.http://dir.muni.ac.ug/xmlui/handle/20.500.12260/5432023-06-06T09:54:41Z2023-01-01T00:00:00ZEffect of phosphorus-based fertilizer on groundnut yield and incidence of groundnut rosette disease in West Nile Region of Uganda
Abaca, Alex; Odama, Emmanuel; Komakech, Alfred; Kassim, Sadik; Walakira, John K.
The objective of this study was to establish the effects of Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer micro-dosing on yields and the incidence of groundnut rosette disease (GRD) on five groundnut varieties in West Nile region of Uganda. The field experimental design used in this study was 5x2 factorial laid in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates per location across 6 locations. The results indicated that there were significant (p = 0.05) differences in groundnuts yields across locations and varieties (0.554 – 1.742 tons per hectare) with or without micro-dosing with DAP fertilizer. The effects of DAP fertilizer micro-dosing in groundnut production were twofold: increase in yields across locations from 427.27kg/acre with no micro-dosing to 525.73kg/acre with micro-dosing (23.04% increment) and varieties from 420.46kg/acre with no micro-dosing to 529.71kg/acre with micro-dosing (13.77% increment); and a reduction of groundnut rosette virus disease incidence across locations from 15.13% with no micro-dosing to 11.20 with micro-dosing (27.76% reduction) and on varieties from 15.08% with no micro-dosing to 11.82% with micro-dosing (34.62% reduction). This is the first report of a prospective DAP fertilizer micro-dosing alongside other improved agronomic practices which can be integrated fully into groundnut production in West Nile region of Uganda. To manage yields and GRD incidences, micro-dosing of crops should be taken as a climate smart technology as identified by Food and Agricultural Organization.
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