Government should encourage tilapia farmers by evolving a number of non-fiscal incentives, which may include grants for development, government equity shareholding, government insurance, leasing of facilities and compensation schemes, and there may also be subsidies for construction, equipment, supplies, labour and price support. Credit on advantageous terms through quasi-government credit schemes, special loans with deferred repayment schedules and loan guarantees should be made available. Lending institutions must encourage tilapia farmers by ensuring that credit is available. Since various changes in government, which is a common feature in Nigeria, are risks to the utilization of capital by tilapia farmers, a stable polity must be ensured. Such stability will boost the development of the industry through a number of valuable roles e.g. market services (information, intelligence reports, promotions etc) and technical services (research and development, extension, training schemes etc).
Tilapia farmers must organize themselves into cooperative associations in order to enhance easy acquisition or access to the key natural resources of water and adjacent land. It is important that farmers must ensure high quality products to avoid the risk of losing their current and potential customers. Their products must leave the farms in perfect condition for post-harvest handling (slaughtering, processing, packaging and transportation) in perfect condition.
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