Drought-induced fish feed shortage strains Namibian aquaculture

NAMIBIA – Namibia’s ambitious aquaculture industry is facing a significant setback due to a severe shortage of fish feed driven by prolonged drought conditions in the region. 

As the nation pushes forward with its plan to scale up aquaculture production, the dwindling supply of key ingredients necessary for feed manufacturing has left the sector scrambling to find sustainable solutions.

Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Sylvia Makgone voiced her concerns about the ongoing drought, which has affected Namibia and neighboring Zambia, a crucial supplier of raw materials like maize and pearl millet used in fish feed production. 

The drought has devastated agricultural operations, leading to a critical shortage of these essential ingredients.

“No one in Namibia is producing fish feed; the Ministry on its own started producing, but because of the type of fish we produce … we need maize and pearl millet to produce,” Makgone said. “This drought is all over, so with fish feed, even if the farmers can produce themselves, there is not enough raw material.”

The feed shortage has become a significant roadblock on Namibia’s 10-year National Aquaculture Master Plan, which concluded in 2023. 

The plan had prioritized access to quality fish feed, acknowledging that private sector involvement in feed production would be limited in the short term, with the government expected to take the lead. 

It also emphasized the need for research and development to create cost-effective feeds that lower production costs, particularly for small—and medium-scale producers.

However, 2024 has brought little respite, with minimal rainfall in key crop-growing regions such as Omusati, Oshana, and Zambezi. 

Where rain has fallen, it has often resulted in flash floods, further damaging crops and worsening the feed shortage.

Currently, Namibia relies on a single government-operated fish feed plant in Onavivi, built in 2009 with Spanish support. 

The facility can produce 1,200 metric tons (MT) of feed annually, enough to support the production of 600 MT of fish per year. 

However, this falls short of the government’s target of producing 4,000 MT of fish, which would require an estimated 6,000 MT of feed.

Rudolph Cloetesaid, Namibia’s Director of Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries, has reiterated the government’s readiness to support private companies interested in establishing fish-feed plants in the country. 

Sign up to receive our email newsletters with the latest news updates and insights from Africa and the World HERE.