After four years of close collaboration, Phase I of the Taiwan–Eswatini Aquaculture Project has delivered impressive results, paving the way for the launch of Phase II, valued at over E22 million.
The country’s first Aquaculture Research and Production Centre was established at the Malkerns Agricultural Research Station, marking a significant milestone for Eswatini’s aquaculture sector.
Project Manager Samuel Liu revealed that Phase I produced more than 450 000 high-quality fish fingerlings, benefiting 125 fish farmers nationwide, while also supporting reservoir farming and river restocking initiatives.
He was speaking during the launch and inception meeting of the second phase of the aquaculture project at Malkerns on Friday.
The Phase II project is valued at approximately US$1.38 million, with the Republic of China (Taiwan) contributing US$1.01 million, while the Government of Eswatini contributed US$370 000. Phase I ran from 2020 to 2025, during which more than 300 training workshops were conducted, the aquaculture centre was launched, 60 cement tanks were constructed, and other infrastructure developed.
Liu said selective breeding of tilapia successfully reduced the grow-out period from 10 months to just five months, significantly improving productivity and turnaround time for farmers.
The centre is also conducting breeding trials on several species, including freshwater lobster, freshwater bass, African catfish, and the conservation species Orange-fringed largemouth bream (Chetia brevis), broadening the future potential of aquaculture in the country.
Through the stable supply of quality fingerlings, provision of technical guidance, and the introduction of standard operating procedures (SOPs), the project has substantially enhanced aquaculture techniques and productivity nationwide.
“By providing quality fingerlings, technical guidance and standardised operating procedures, farmers’ productivity and skills have significantly improved. Aquaculture in Eswatini is steadily transitioning from subsistence farming to commercial production,” Liu said.
He added that the development of low-cost, locally formulated feeds reduced farmers’ reliance on imported feed, while the promotion of cage culture technology improved water resource utilisation and yield per unit area, laying a solid foundation for the sector’s growth.
Building on these achievements, the Phase II Aquaculture Cooperation Project (2026–2029) will continue to utilise the Malkerns centre as a national platform to further disseminate aquaculture technologies.
With a four-year budget, the project aims to support the transition from household-based aquaculture to commercial-scale production, promote large-scale farming, and develop reservoir cage culture and irrigation canal aquaculture.
The project also seeks to expand the culture of local riverine fish species to meet domestic market demand, reduce reliance on imported fish products, increase rural incomes, and enhance food security and nutritional diversity.
“The key components of Phase II include establishing regional fingerling supply systems and developing high-potential aquaculture species, developing commercial aquaculture farms, basic processing facilities and marketing channels, strengthening the capacity of the national commercial aquaculture extension system, and promoting Taiwan’s advanced agricultural and aquaculture technologies,” Liu said.
Over one million fingerlings will be distributed, while catfish and freshwater crayfish will be produced and supplied to farmers. The project will also conserve 20 aquatic species, construct six model ponds and two greenhouses, participate in trade exhibitions, introduce smart agriculture systems, and adopt solar power to support green energy production.
