Lira, Uganda: Despite the rapid expansion of aquaculture in the Lango Sub-region, fish farmers in Lira City are grappling with a lack of market access that threatens the sustainability of their businesses.
Ms. Fionah Achayo, proprietor of Dewilo’s Fish Farm in Amuca Ward, Lira City West Division, says her five-acre enterprise, established in 2019 to support household income, food security, and community employment, now faces an uncertain future due to poor market linkages.
“I put everything into this business, but there’s no market. I have fish ready to sell, yet no one is buying,” she said. “There might be markets elsewhere in the country, but here in Lango, there isn’t a ready market.”
Achayo, who won the 2023 Farmer of the Year award at the Harvest Money Expo for Mid-Lango, says the lack of infrastructure, market access, and unfair competition from imported fish products are hurting local producers. “As a commercial farmer, you want to sell in bulk to recover capital, but there’s no one to buy at scale,” she added.
Rising Costs and Lack of Inputs
In addition to market gaps, Achayo highlighted the steep costs of maintaining a fish farm, pointing out the scarcity of local hatcheries, which forces farmers to import fingerlings from Kampala.
“Fish farming needs serious capital, and not everyone can afford the startup costs. The feeds are expensive, and we have to transport fingerlings from far,” she noted, warning that many farmers have abandoned aquaculture altogether due to mounting losses.
Achayo is now appealing to the government to help link Lango’s fish farmers to better-paying markets. “We call upon the government to support us by connecting us to markets that can offer fair prices. This will motivate more people to join the sector and ensure it grows,” she said.
When contacted by DailyExpress, Lira District Fisheries Officer, Mr Solomon Eimu, acknowledged the market-related concerns and said the government is making strides to improve aquaculture viability. “There are ongoing efforts to improve cold storage, distribution networks, and public awareness on the nutritional and economic benefits of farmed fish,” he said.
In May 2025, UBOS and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries launched Uganda’s first nationwide aquaculture census to map fish farms across the country and inform long-term sector planning.
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