I, Farm Boy! We Need 5,000 Fishcages To Be Fish Self-Sufficient

The South China Morning Post yesterday posted an article on the potentials of Fish Farming in supplying the protein requirements of the next generation.
Here are some of the points raised by SCMP:
“‘Blue foods’ have a lower environmental impact compared to livestock, and aquaculture production for food consumption now exceeds that of wild capture.
“With the Earth’s population expected to rise by 3 billion by end of the century, expert says next step after discussing food security is ‘nutrition security’
“As the human population keeps growing so too does the need for nutritious food, raising the question of how to feed the billions more people projected to be added to the population by the end of this century.
“Aquaculture – the farming of seafood – could be a beacon of hope, experts argue, and it could play a more vital role in improving the food system and combating climate change.”
This is the direction that I and Fil-Am Farmer/Scientist Rocky French are taking now as we move towards proving to all skeptics that the Philippines could easily achieve Fish Self-Sufficiency.
The first step that we have taken is to establish a village-level feed mill to produce Aqua Feeds using mainly local raw materials which could be replicated in other parts of the country.
The second step is to set-up a multi-species fish hatchery, focusing mainly on Tilapia and Bangus, species which could be easily raised in brackish or saltwater fishcages.
The third step is to link up with a ready market complete with a supply contract to ensure the viability of the project.
Actually, I had long promoted fish cage farming as the more sustainable source of protein-rich food given the fact that Capture Fishing is no longer reliable because of the depletion of the supply in the open seas and also because of Climate Change.
Having the 5th longest coastline in the world at 36,289 kilometers, there is no reason why the Philippines could not become a major world power in farmed fish production.
When I was Secretary of Agriculture, I ordered all Directors of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to establish at least 300 fish cages in their regions.
This program contributed to the first positive growth, albeit small, of the fisheries industry for the first time in so many decades.
Now, my position on the importance of Fishcage Farming as a sustainable source of protein needed by the world’s growing population is validated by no less than China.
#IdeasOfTheFarmBoy!
#KungGustoMaramingParaan!
(Captured image was downloaded from the South China Morning Post while the photo was taken in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur two years ago.)