By Obed Kankiriho
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), through the Uganda Climate-Smart Agriculture Transformation Project (UCSATP), has commenced the restocking of Lake Chahafi in Kisoro District, as part of a national programme to revive depleted small water bodies and strengthen community livelihoods.
On Monday, the ministry introduced 282,000 Nile tilapia fingerlings into the lake, marking the first phase of a 1.03-million-fish restocking initiative targeting thirteen small lakes nationwide.
According to Geoffrey Dheyongera, the Principal Fisheries Officer at MAAIF, Lake Chahafi was selected following scientific assessments that confirmed its capacity to sustainably support fish growth if properly managed.
He explained that the programme aims to restore fish stocks, improve both the quality and quantity of catches, and expand income-generating opportunities for communities that depend on the lake.
To protect the investment, fishing activities on Lake Chahafi have been suspended for one year, allowing the introduced fish to mature and establish breeding populations.
The Kisoro District Fisheries Officer, Denis Birungi, called on residents of Chahafi Town Council to work closely with authorities to protect the lake, warning that illegal fishing practices and environmental degradation could undermine the project.
Birungi noted that previous restocking efforts were minimal and ineffective, emphasizing that the current intervention is deliberate, science-guided, and long-term.
Meanwhile, the Assistant Resident District Commissioner for Kisoro, John Nizeyimana, urged the community to remain vigilant and report any unusual fish deaths or interference with fish cages to the authorities.
He assured residents that government has provisions for compensation in case of losses and stressed the importance of transparency and community involvement in monitoring the restocking process.
Local residents welcomed the intervention, recalling that Lake Chahafi once supported abundant fish stocks before suffering severe depletion due to population pressure and overfishing.
They said the decline negatively affected household incomes and nutrition, especially among children, and expressed optimism that the restoration will improve food security, livelihoods, and access to education once fishing resumes under regulated conditions.
