Turning $25,000 into an Aquatic Dream: My Vision for a Sustainable Fish Farm

Journey with WorldofXpilar (WoX) Community

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For a while now, I have been seeing @stef1 showcasing the new milestone of @xpilar, and this is a community that I've been part of. My journey so far in the “World of Xpilar” has really been a memorable one. I say this because participating in their drawing contest brought back the little drawing talent that I had abandoned for many years.

Over time, I've been seeing the drawing contest and I've been intentionally ignoring it because of the caliber of artists I've seen in the challenge. I thought I had no chance of competing with such talents. During one of my free times, I went through all the contests, but none caught my attention. In order not to let the free time go to waste, I reluctantly joined the drawing contest organized by WOX for the first time.

To my greatest surprise, the award for the contest was announced, and I took first position. I was so happy that day. I really don't know if it was because the drawing was funny, but that result actually changed my mind to continue drawing from time to time. I will say I've been picking up gradually, and I'm glad about the improvement.

Let me also use this opportunity to say a big “congratulations” to WOX on the 25K subscribers.

Dreams

After university, I took part in the one-year compulsory service to the nation, and I was posted to serve at the University of Agriculture. I worked as an administrative officer there, but as a corps member, I was privileged to enter any department of my choice during my free time.

Among all the departments, the one where I loved to spend more time was the Fishery Department. I fell in love seeing the different species of fish and how they cohabit with one another. Since after the one-year service, I have always imagined how it would feel, waking up every day to the gentle sound of bubbling water, the rays of sunshine reflecting on the pond, and the sight of seeing my fish swimming gracefully inside.

But with $25,000, it's no longer going to be just mere imagination; I'll make it a reality. The pond will be a sight to behold and a self-sustaining haven. It's going to be a dream come true if I happen to have my very own fish farm.

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Project Description

I'm from Okrika in Rivers State, Nigeria, and what used to be the major source of income for us in the old days was fishing. But since the discovery of crude oil, everyone's attention shifted to the new "liquid black gold," ignoring fishing.

Due to the several oil spillages in the region, it has killed so many fish and made the rivers uninhabitable for them. For the fish to survive, they have to go far. This was one of the reasons I took an interest in the Fishery Department during my service to my country.

The Proposed Site

I have a little portion of space in my backyard, and since it is close to the river, the idea of setting up a self-sufficient system that produces high-quality fish crossed my mind. The reason I chose that site was for the ease of discharging bad water from the pond into the river.

As you can see from the picture, I had already started filling a portion of the land with sand, but I had to stop because of some financial difficulties. With a budget of $25,000, this project will not only contribute to local food security but also provide employment opportunities and foster community engagement.

Business Opportunity

The demand for fish is very high in Nigeria, and a lot is being imported into the country. So, covering the gap by producing a large amount of high-demand fish like croaker and catfish locally will definitely bring good profits.

Budget

With $25,000, the money will go a long way in:

• Sand filling the entire area to the brim and also acquiring more land.

• Construction of the pond house to protect the area from intruders and snakes around the river area.

• Construction of the pond itself.

• Construction of water reservoir tanks and purchasing of pumping machines.

• Fish feeds.

• Fingerlings (different species).

• Installation of solar panel systems to power an aeration pump, ensuring optimal oxygen levels for the fish.

• Operational costs (labor, maintenance, etc).

My Goals and Aspirations for the Fish Pond

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Apart from the business aspect of it, one of my goals and aspirations for the fish pond is to make it eco-friendly and to form a community hub that attracts people with similar interests in fishery for educational purposes, sharing ideas amongst ourselves, and organizing workshops to teach people about sustainable aquaculture practices.

As a community, we'll be pioneers in the field, conducting research on ways to improve and develop sustainable fish farming, providing fish to local markets, and encouraging more unemployed youth to venture into the business by granting them soft loans to start up, training them, and employing some of them. This will drastically reduce the high unemployment rate among the youth and reduce social vices in the country.

Partnerships with schools to bring their students during excursions to learn about fish, sustainable farming, the importance of marine conservation, and providing hands-on learning experiences, as well as establishing a solid customer base with stores, restaurants, and markets around my area, would also be a good idea.