By Gabriella Chapman

Fifty-seven Guyanese over the past 10 days benefited from a training course on aquaculture technology for Guyana.

The training held at the Regency Suite Hotel, was jointly funded and organised by the Fujian Institute of Oceanography (FJIO), Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries Department of Cooperative Republic of Guyana.

It saw participants from Regions One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six and Nine and among those present were Fisheries staff, fish farmers, teachers, University of Guyana (Turkeyen and Tain Campus) and Guyana School of Agriculture students and Guyana Defence Force (GDF) officers.

Speaking with the Chronicle, Fisheries Officer Nakita Dookie said the training course marks round two of the collaborative efforts between the two countries to strengthen capacity building in the local aquaculture technology.

“In September 2017, the first training course was conducted with 30 participants. The feedback provided from the first round, raised the need to address more specific areas such as feed formulation, expansion of aquaculture species available for culture and the potential for mariculture in Guyana. The training requests expressed, lead to the need for round two, which is what happened over the past 10 days,” Dookie said.

This year’s participants, she said, has a wider range of cross-cutting backgrounds and are all interested in learning sustainable and economically viable aquatic farming techniques. These participants were exposed to practical sessions at the Satyadeow Sawh Aquaculture Station and a field trip to a shrimp farm in Region Six.

“Participants were afforded the opportunity to be part of classroom and practical sessions which were conducted by very experienced and patient lecturers. The sessions were filled with overwhelming amounts of information which was digested and regurgitated through intense questions and answers segments and competitive group presentations. There was a growth in greater interest and appreciation as the time progressed. The participants were able to identify gaps and brainstorm solutions to the way forward. The general feedback by participants indicated the training course was well received and has implored the need for continuation,” she further noted.

OPPORTUNE TIME
Dookie said the training session comes at an opportune time for the further development of Guyana’s aquaculture sector through the dissemination of information from the world leaders in aquaculture production, China.

Guyana through this programme has equipped its stakeholders with the most recent and efficient technology through the exposure to very experienced and qualified lecturers from Fujian Institute of Oceanography.

“China’s rapid development in aquaculture has contributed to food security and generated employment and income for over 4.3 million rural workers in China. Guyana hopes to strengthen its contribution in these regard for its economy through this collaboration.”

INFORMATIVE
Fisheries Officer Terrence Browne attached to the Ministry of Agriculture, Guyana, who was a participant of the programme, said it was a very informative exercise.
“China being a well-developed and diverse country showcased their aquaculture systems and technologies. The People’s Republic of China and the Fujian Institute of Oceanography would have also offered a broad spectrum training activities and their personal development in the aquaculture industry,” Browne said.
He stated that the knowledge acquired (both practical and theoretical) will be put into practice.

“As a fisheries officer, I will work along with the Aquaculture Unit of the Fisheries Department and engage farmers on having good pond construction. We then have to extend our reach across the country and get farmers into aquaculture farming. However, the most important task ahead of us is feed formulation. We will have to work assiduously in formulating feeds that will be adequate for fish growth,” he shared.
He added: “The team from China would have also lamented that our country has very good conditions for vast aquaculture development. So the Fisheries Department will now embark heavily on making Guyana one of the leading countries in the Caribbean in aquaculture production.”