Starting a catfish farming business comes with many decisions, but one of the most critical is whether to personally oversee operations or delegate from the start.
Many new farmers believe they can simply fund the business, hire workers, and watch the profits roll in. But those who have built successful farms will tell you that this is the quickest way to fail.
Why You Should Handle It Yourself:
1. Learning the basics through practice
One of Nigeria’s well-known catfish farmers, Bamidele Onibalusi, often shares how he learnt the fundamentals of catfish farming, not by reading books alone but by getting his hands to work on the farm. He started with small ponds, followed experienced farmers, asked countless questions, and observed every tiny detail of fish growth, feeding, and pond preparation. More than just learning how to raise fish, he understood what it takes to run a farm like a business.
It’s always best advised that you start a business by learning the basics and practising all that is learnt.
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2. Understanding long-term farm management
Successful catfish farming requires more than just capital. It demands knowledge, experience, and the ability to anticipate problems before they become disasters. A hands-on approach in the beginning helps you develop a deep understanding of your farm.
You will observe how the fish behave when they are well fed versus when they are stressed. You will know how water quality affects their growth and why certain feeding patterns yield better results. Being on the farm teaches you how to identify diseases, spot unhealthy fish, and manage daily operations without relying solely on employees.
Farmers who have built strong businesses in the industry started by immersing themselves in the process. They learnt how to handle problems firsthand, which later made it easier to train workers properly and identify inefficiencies.
3. Avoiding scams and financial losses
One of the biggest risks in outsourcing your farm management too early is falling victim to scams or unnecessary expenses. Many business owners pour money into solving problems that don’t actually exist. Workers may exaggerate the cost of feed, medications, or pond maintenance, knowing that the owner has no way of verifying the claims. Others might mismanage funds, leading to huge financial losses before the business even takes off.
There have been cases where farm owners kept funding water system repairs, restocking fish, or increasing feed expenses based on misleading reports, only to realise much later that the farm’s issues were never about funding but about poor management.