Paradise in Chad

Last week, I travelled to Doba, a small city about one and a half hours away from Moundou, with the MCC partner organization BAOBAB. BAOBAB works with MCC on many agriculture projects in a number of villages close to Moundou. We went to Doba to learn more about fish farming. There were two fish farms in Doba and we were hoping to observe them and get some practical information about how they work in hopes of starting a fish farm in one of the partner villages.

The first fish farm we went to began with 50 carp and it is estimated that there are now 100 000 fish. The man had to expand his farming area twice due to the rapid increase of fish. At the end of May, it will have been 24 months and he will begin selling the fish. I learned that he feeds the carp - papaya leaves, balls made of red millet flour and spinach, and occasionally pigeon poop. The water is drained once a week and new water is put in to help keep the container clean.

It was when we began discussing the importance of clean water that BAOBAB realised that this may be a problem in our villages. None of the villages have running water, and using a generator to get water from a well is very expensive. We are continuing to brainstorm other solutions for fish farms in villages without access to regular clean water.

We made our way to a second farm owned by Ngardingal André a retired banker. André has taken multiple trainings on how to fish farm and has become an expert on the subject. It was very interesting to hear his perspective on the matter and to see his current project. He is currently working on creating a “Paradis de Doba”. His dream is to have solar panels, mango, banana, and papaya trees, fish farms, rabbits, pigeons, chicken, geese and ducks (whose poop can feed the fish and fertilize trees). Even with very limited finances he continues to work hard slowly create his dream farm. He is hoping to one day build a training centre where he (with his friends) can train young people on fish farming, veterinary practices and finances. He believes in the importance of teaching young people the skills that he has acquired.

When we were leaving he cut a papaya from a tree to give to me. It was a small piece of paradise. André’s dreams give me hope for the future of agriculture in Chad.