The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) published a farmers’ manual on tilapia hatchery operation in Ghana. The manual provides a comprehensive step-by-step guide to running a tilapia hatchery operation. It includes advice on site selection, site preparation, hatchery design and construction, farming practices (broodstock management, spawning, sex reversal, hormonal feed preparation and feeding), fingerling harvesting and marketing, biosecurity and fish health management, good farm management practices and recordkeeping - all of which are critical elements to a successful tilapia hatchery operation.

Aquaculture has existed in Ghana since the 1950s, though the sector didn’t experience major growth until around 2000 when large-scale commercial production began. Today, it plays a key role in the nation’s prosperity, contributing to food security by augmenting domestic fish production and creating jobs.

The Tilapia Seed Project is aimed at accelerating quality tilapia seed production and dissemination in Ghana. Project stakeholders produced this manual to provide accurate direction to small-scale fish farmers in Ghana. After reviewing its contents, we expect that it will prove instrumental in helping farmers improve production, and will serve as a valuable catalyst for growth in this important sector.

Download the manual here.