Initially it was proposed in the TOR to organize a 2–3 day training course for technicians of the project but this would result in a theoretical training only. The artificial reproduction of African catfish is a trick and not a science, and the tricks can only be learned by doing it. It was therefore decided to extend the duration of the course and to focus on practical matters.
The training course was attended by 29 technicians. During the course six different methods of semi-artificial and artificial reproduction were carried out by the trainees. The programme of the training is presented below and more details are given in the manual/reader which was specially written for the training course.
Programme training course on artificial reproduction and the farming of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus held at Kisumu from 3-8-94 to 8-8-94.
| Tuesday, | 2-8-94 |
| Afternoon: | Arrival of the trainees and administrative procedures |
| Wednesday, | 3-8-94 |
| Morning: | Lectures on natural and artificial reproduction of the African catfish. |
| Afternoon: | Practical training on the collection and preservation of pituitaries of the African catfish and the Nile Tilapia. Practical training on broodstock selection and first injection of females. |
| Thursday, | 4-8-94 |
| Morning: | Stripping of females and fertilization of eggs Departure for Yala and stocking of 3–4 days old hatchlings in the prepared ponds. |
| Afternoon: | Practical training on different reproduction techniques of catfish. |
| Friday, | 5-8-94 |
| Morning: | Practical training on stripping and fertilization of eggs and seme-artificial reproduction. Determination on fertilization and hatching rates. |
| Afternoon: | Lectures on pond nursing of catfish hatchlings/fry. |
| Saturday, | 6-8-94 |
| Morning: | Checking of the incubated eggs. Lectures on prophylactic measures for egg incubation and diseases. |
| Afternoon: | Lectures on Poly and mono-culture of the African catfish. |
| Sunday, | 7-8-94 |
| Morning: | Practical training on hatching of incubated eggs and comparison of the results of the different reproduction techniques |
| Afternoon: | Idem |
| Monday, | 8-8-94 |
| Morning: | Checking of the larvae and final discussion. |
| Afternoon: | Return to duty stations |
de Graaf, G.J. and Galemoni, F., 1989, The artificial reproduction and fry nursing of Clarias gariepinus at the fry production centre Loka in Ivory Coast. Mission report, 28-10-1989–10-11-1989, FAO/IVC/87/007 (in french).
de Graaf, G.J., Galemoni, F. and Banzoussi, B., in press. The artificial reproduction and fingerling production of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822) in protected and un protected ponds,
de Graaf, G.J., Galemoni, F. and Banzoussi, B., in press. Successful recruitment control of Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus by the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell 1822) and the African snakehead, Ophiocephalus obscuris, a biological analyses.
Janssen, J., 1987, a manual (draft) for the reprodction and pond rearing of the African catfish, prepared for ARAC/FAO, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
