By: Ochi, Maduabuchi

A Professor of Aquaculture Engineering and Water Resources Management, Professor Ayoola Olusegun Akinwole, has suggested urban aquaculture as a means of providing transformative solution to city-wide food production and resources utilisation concerns.

The recommendation was made during the 556th Inaugural Lecture of the University of Ibadan, titled “Aquaculture Engineering: Reconciling the Balance in the Triad of Fish, Plants and Man” on behalf of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, which took place Thursday, 1st August, 2024.

“While global food production needs to substantially increase to meet the ever-growing demand as a result of population surge,” Prof Akinwole noted. “The world is running out of land space for food production that will serve the ever increasing population.”

He further stated that the Earth had lost about a third of it’s arable land, a trend that would only be worsened by climate change, but the answer was to be found under water and not on land.

“Aquaculture, or fish farming, has become an efficient way to feed the world”, he submitted.

The Don went on to call on the government at all levels to promote Urban Aquaculture as a means to attain food security, income generation and job creation for Nigeria’s growing population.

He requested that government implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) in all agriculture, aquaculture and food production facilities, in order to minimise environmental impact and negative impacts on the health of humans, animals and plants.

Admonishing investors, the professor advised them to look for scientific and technical support for site-specific design and component fabrication in recirculating aquaculture systems so they avoid overcapitalisation or prematurely expanding facilities.

He stated that the recirculating aquaculture systems-based farms require well-trained and experienced personnel with an average of eight years of related job experience to ensure profitability.