Chinese aquaculture training program helps African youth embrace entrepreneurship

Thanks to a training program sponsored by the Chinese government, David Mulika, founder of a fisheries company in Uganda, blazed a trail for his company as his country was in dire need of sustainable freshwater aquaculture due to the shrinking fishing industry.

In recent years, Uganda's aquaculture industry has been facing increasing challenges due to its outdated breeding techniques, the insufficient supply of high-quality fish fry and parent varieties, and expensive but poor quality fish feed.

The African country is in urgent need of China's freshwater fish farming technology and management experience, as well as cooperation with Chinese seedling and feed enterprises.

To respond to the country's appeal, the Chinese government developed a tailored training course for Ugandan talents in aquaculture. David is one of the beneficiaries.

He has been to China to learn aquaculture techniques in 2007. Last year, he was dispatched to China to attend a training program for developing countries on aquatic product trade and market development.

What he learned and the experience he gained from the training programs offered by the Chinese government have helped him start his own business and ultimately made him a leader in agriculture and aquaculture in Uganda.

The two training programs not only improved his freshwater aquaculture technique, but also boosted his capability of making high-quality fish feed. The progress strengthened his confidence in the industry and he decided to start his own business and revitalize local aquaculture with the help of Chinese technology and experience.

He has also popularized Chinese techniques and promoted cooperation in the industry, becoming a pioneer in freshwater aquaculture in Uganda.

As of 2022, the output of tilapia ponds in the region where David's company is located had greatly increased, with a breeding area of over 1,000 hectares, improving the livelihoods of over 300 local families. The high-quality fish fry cultivated by David's company using Chinese technology has been gradually exported to countries surrounding Uganda, with customers in Tanzania having also purchased tilapia fish species from his company.

At a China-initiated online economic and trade fair targeting countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, a Chinese enterprise signed a cooperation agreement with David’s company for exporting one million tons of Chinese aquaculture feed to Uganda.

He said he hopes the Chinese government would boost exchanges and cooperation in aquaculture between the two countries through technical training programs and trade fairs, enabling more Ugandan enterprises and people to benefit from Chinese techniques, experience and schemes.

To honor his contribution to Ugandan freshwater aquaculture, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni visited David's company and expressed appreciation for his efforts to promote economic development with Chinese technology and experiences.