PESCA supports Internship for 36 Mak Bachelor of Fisheries & Aquaculture Students

In 2022, the Department of Zoology, Entomology, and Fisheries Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University, was awarded a contract under the European Union-funded project: Promoting Environmentally Sustainable Commercial Aquaculture (PESCA) to provide training services. The overall objective of the assignment is to support training that will improve knowledge, skills, and practices that enhance aquaculture production and productivity in Uganda. This is achieved through the following specific objectives: i) Support the placement of undergraduate students to work (internships) with fish farmers or other suitable aquaculture value chain actors; ii) Conduct inclusive customized short-term training with gender considerations (women, men, youth, people with disabilities) including farmers, Producer Organizations (POs), feed and seed producers, service providers, and other aquaculture stakeholders; and iii) Support MSc research and training. The main outcomes of Objective 1 will include: a) enhanced capacity of Fisheries and aquaculture graduates with skills relevant to aquaculture and fisheries sector needs of the country; b) fit-for-purpose proactive graduates to support aquaculture; and c) strengthened partnerships among the industry, research, and academia in the production of quality graduates in the aquaculture value chain, relevant for economic development.

PESCA support for placement of undergraduate students to work (internship)

With funding from the EU, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), a total of 36 Second Year students under the Bachelor of Fisheries and Aquaculture programme at Makerere University have been supported to undertake training (internship) at various fish farms across the country for a period of 8 months. Internship is an Integral part of a student’s examination process at the University. At the training sites that included Yalelo Fish Farm in Jinja, Kampala Capital City Authority (Ggaba Landing Site), Kigungu Landing Site in Entebbe, Pearl Aquatics-Garuga, ARDC-Kajjansi, SON Fish Farm in Buikwe, Ugachick Poultry Breeders Ltd, and Ssenya Fish Farm in Masaka, the students were expected to get hands on experience for professional career path, obtain an understanding of work ethics, employment demands, responsibilities and opportunities, and attain opportunities to engage and interact with key stakeholders, and potential employers.

Presentation of internship reports

On 27^th July 2023, the students presented their internship reports to their supervisors, as well as officials from the EU and MAAIF at a blended workshop held at the Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, Makerere University.

During the presentations, the students expressed satisfaction about the training, highlighting a number of skills that they acquired. These included; pond management and preparation, fry collection and stocking feed in the hatchery, water quality monitoring, transfer of fish from the hatchery to the lake, sexing Nile Tilapia, fish feeding, grading fry and fingerlings, netting and deployment of nets and record keeping. Other skills acquired included data collection, fish processing technics, value addition, stock assessment technics, feed formulation, sampling and evaluation, quality control, artificial propagation of African catfish, farm management skills, fish identification, fish harvesting, organolytic sensory evaluation of fresh fish, boat operation, pond construction, Hapa installation and management.

The students expressed gratitude to the EU for funding the Project. They appreciated MAAIF for selecting Makerere to conduct the trainings, and the supervisors for supporting the training process. They however expressed concern over the limited time accorded to the training (internship) appealing to the University officials to consider increasing the training period.

The Internship Programme under PESCA is coordinated by Dr Robinson Odong, a Lecturer in the Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences. The PESCA training programme at Makerere University is headed by Dr Jackson Efitre from the same Department.

Students supported for internship

No.	Training Centre
	ARDC-Kajjansi
1.	Nabisere Sharifah
2.	Muntu Mugisha Faraho
3.	Ashaba Ronnet
4.	Amanya Clever
5.	Etoma Isaac
6.	Mutekanga Daudi
	Kigungu Landing Site
7.	Aweko Juliet
	Pearl Aquatics
8.	Bwire Hakimi
9.	Henry Lukwago
	Kampala Capital City Authority – Ggaba Landing Site
10.	Mugisa Ronald Christopher
	Source of the Nile Fish Farm (SON) – Buikwe
11.	Muhwezi Eliab
12.	Lukya Najib
13.	Owembabazi Dorothy
14.	Yiga Farouk
15.	Dushimimana Rebecca
16.	Nambi Sandra Agnes
17.	Namanya Joseph
18.	Ssebuliba Micheal
19.	Nalukwago Sarah
	Yalelo Fish Farm
20.	Kebirungi Shibah
21.	Mbabazi Daphine
22.	Magezi Bruno
23.	Mutai Eddy Nsigiro
24.	Isegend George Julius
25.	Ntende Jonah
	Ssenya Fish Farm – Masaka
26.	Rwecungura Jamin
27.	Okema Michael
	Ugachick Poultry Breeders Ltd
28.	Mugarura Branton
29.	Ndawula Newton