Fisheries Education and Training Agency
“To provide quality fisheries and aquaculture education and training, conduct applied research
and disseminate appropriate technologies to stakeholders through improved service delivery.”
The Vision of FETA is to become “A Centre of excellence in fisheries and aquaculture education
and training in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2025”
“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach him how to fish, and he can feed himself for life”
Fisheries Education and Training Agency (FETA) is established by merging two fisheries institutions, Mbegani Fisheries Development Centre (MFDC) and Nyegezi Freshwater Fisheries Institute (NFFI) in line with Fisheries Master Plan (URT 2000). The two institutions are under the Ministry of Livestock Development and Fisheries and are fully accredited by the National Council for Technical Education (NACTE).
MFDC was established by the Government in 1966 as an artisanal fisheries development centre. The main objective was to catalyze technological improvement on fishing crafts for better sea endurance and construction of appropriate fishing gears for improved catching efficiency.
In early 1970 MFDC was transformed into a formal technical training institute to accommodate fisheries certificate students who were at Ministry of Agriculture Training Institute (MATI) – Nyegezi.
The transfer was made following ministerial restructuring, which placed the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Natural Resources from that of Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperative.
The centre was expanded further in late 1970s to accommodate diploma programs in boat building, fish processing, marine engineering and fishing technology. During this period students who were pursuing certificate program at Mbegani were transferred to Nyegezi to pave way for the expansion process. Those students were indeed pioneers of training program at NFFI.
NFFI was established in 1967 as an experimental centre with responsibility for conducting fishing, processing and aquaculture trials.
Initially NFFI was fully involved in conducting experiments on fish culture in floating cages, hybridization and tilapia breeding. It also conducted experiments on supplementary feeds using brewery wastes, fish processing and fishing trials. Findings from the experiments revolutionized Lake Victoria fisheries leading to establishment of the Nyanza Fishing and Processing Factory in Mwanza and adoption of appropriate fishing technologies in fishing communities.
In 1978 NFFI was transformed into a training Institute to offer a two years General Fisheries Science Certificate Course, which was formerly being conducted at Mbegani Fisheries Development Centre in Bagamoyo (MFDC).
The institutions have been playing an important role in fisheries development through provision of education and training, conducting applied research and dissemination of technologies. Their contribution has enabled the country to address challenges in the fisheries sector including availing adequate experts, improving level of technologies, fish marketing and sustainable resource management.
The mandate and functions of the two Institutions are now being assumed by FETA, and are articulated in the National Fisheries Sector Policy and Strategy Statements (1997), the Aquaculture Development Strategy (2009) and The National Council for Technical Education Act of 1997 as it was the case with MFDC and NFFI. The main role of FETA will be to assist the Ministry in provision of fisheries education and training in aquaculture, fisheries technologies and management, conduct applied research and consultancy in promoting sustainable development of fisheries and allied industries.