A REPORT ON LIVESTOCK AGRIBUSINESS FOR INCREASED INCOME AND FOOD SECURITY TRAINING ORGANISED BY THE TETFUND CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN FOOD SECURITY, UNIVERSITY OF JOS ON THE 21ST -25TH OCTOBER 2024
The training started at exactly 9:58 am with the introduction of all participants including all facilitators. The opening prayer was said by a participant and the opening remarks was made by the director of the Centre Prof.P.S.Amaza. He started by appreciating all facilitators for coming despite their tight schedules. He spoke on how Agribusiness has been helping in increasing income and food security through the production of milk, eggs, hides and organic manure, processing of livestock into high value and marketing which are components of the agriculture value chain. He admonished that a proportion of the opportunities that exist should be considered to earn more income. He concluded by encouraging all participants to make good use of the opportunity to empower themselves, his admonition ended at 10:22 am.
The morning's inaugural presenter, Dr. (Mrs.) Oyedapo, commenced her lecture on 'Aquaculture and Value Chain' at 10:30 am. Her presentation underscored the crucial role of value addition in aquaculture, outlining various techniques for processing fish by-products. Dr. Oyedapo emphasized the necessity of market analysis in selecting processing methods. She concluded her session at 10:59 am by highlighting the potential for profitability in aquaculture through strategic branding and partnerships with off-takers. A subsequent question-and-answer period provided attendees with an opportunity to seek clarification on key concepts.
The second presenter, Mr. Lawrence Igoche, commenced his lecture on Aquaculture at 11:42 am, exploring the principles and motivations behind fish cultivation. His comprehensive discussion covered:
1. Aquaculture types and classifications
2. Culture facilities and fish sources
3. Fish production steps and critical stocking considerations
4. Essential fish farm operations, including:
a. Water quality management
b. Infrastructure maintenance and inspection
c. Feeding and sanitation/biosecurity protocols
d. Sampling, sorting, and record keeping
e. Harvesting
The presentation concluded at 12:26 pm, followed by a question-and-answer session. The morning session was adjourned at 1:04 pm, preceding the scheduled lunch break from 1-2 pm.
The afternoon session, facilitated by the two expert trainers, began at 2 pm. A practical demonstration on fish drying and smoking techniques was conducted, highlighting the fundamental differences between these preservation methods. Key topics covered included:
1. Salt utilization in fish preservation
2. Smoking process variants
3. Comparative analysis of drying and smoking
Subsequently, Dr. (Mrs.) Oyedapo provided hands-on instruction on curing, marinating, and smoking various fish species, including catfish, Titus fish, and hake fish (a stockfish variant). The potential application of hake fish as fish fillets was also explored. The afternoon session adjourned at 3:26 pm, and the training program concluded at 3:28 pm with a closing prayer, marking the end of the day's activities.
The Cross section of the Centre Director, The Facilitator demonstrating spicing of
all facilitators and participants catfish before smoking
The Centre Director, Secretary, Evaluation and coating of Catfish with spices
Monitoring Officer with all facilitators
Preparation of Fish spice Spicing of Catfish before smoking
DAY 2
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DAY 5