Fish for bread
2005-12-08
AN exciting Hands-on Aquaculture Trout farming project was officially launched on Monday at the Graham Beck Wine Estate in Groot Drakenstein.
Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom, was at hand to promote the joint initiative between the farming community, the department and the University of Stellenbosch.
It aims to contribute towards economic empowerment and social development of disadvantaged rural communities through aquaculture.
The initiative to establish sustainable small scale trout farming units in rural areas of the Western Cape, was first launched in 2004 by the Division of Aquaculture at Stellenbosch University, aided by the department and private sector.
Labour requirements of fruit and fish farming are compatible as harvesting takes place at different times of the year.
The man responsible for the project has been Dr Danie Brink, Head of the Division of Aquaculture at Stellenbosch University.
He is assisted by Henk Stander, aquaculturist from the same department, who has been seconded as CEO to the Hands-on Fish Farmers Co-operative, the company formed to facilitate the individual projects.
Existing irrigation dams are used to breed the fish in nets hanging from floating platforms. Through this project, a viable trout fish farming business has been created. Trout is sold to a fish processor, the Three Streams Smoke House in Wemmershoek, who in turn sells their products to the food service and retail sectors.
Last year five small-scale aquaculture projects were launched, and due to an impressive success rate, eight more projects were established in the Western Cape this year. A further 12 are planned for 2006. To date 150 farm labourers have been involved.
One of them, the Folbekkies Trout Farm situated on the Graham Beck wine estate, is run by labourers on the farm for their own benefit.
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