Nakuru County spent Sh10m to promote fish farming, report says

What you need to know:

  • According to a report on the projects implemented by the department of Agriculture in the financial year 2013/2014 and 2015/2016, other sub-counties which had heightened fish activities include Molo, Bahati, Kuresoi South and Kuresoi North.
  • The fish ponds were distributed in all the 55 Wards in the county, with Njoro and Naivasha sub counties taking the lions share with six and five fish ponds, respectively.
  • In the last financial year, the county constructed a fish bulking, preservation and processing facility in Naivasha at a cost of Sh8 million to cater for the increasing number of fishermen in the fresh water lake.

The county government of Nakuru spent Sh10 million to promote fish farming in the county by installing 50 fish pond liners.

The fish ponds were distributed in all the 55 Wards in the county, with Njoro and Naivasha sub counties taking the lions share with six and five fish ponds, respectively.

According to a report on the projects implemented by the department of Agriculture in the financial year 2013/2014 and 2015/2016, other sub-counties which had heightened fish activities include Molo, Bahati, Kuresoi South and Kuresoi North.

The report was tabled in the County Assembly on Wednesday by the vice chairperson of the Agriculture committee Ms Irene Jebichi Cheruiyot (nominated).

In order to minimize fishing activities in Lake Naivasha, the county purchased four patrol boats at Sh9 million for monitoring at Karangita, Kamere and Central in Naivasha and Tarambete beach in Malewa West Ward in Gilgil.

During the same period under review the county distributed 24,000 kg of fish feeds worth Sh1.8 million and supplied 50,000 fingerlings worth Sh400,000 to farmers.

At the same time, the county boosted the fish farming by installing two fish feed pelletizers worth Sh500,000.

In the last financial year, the county constructed a fish bulking, preservation and processing facility in Naivasha at a cost of Sh8 million to cater for the increasing number of fishermen in the fresh water lake.

The report further indicated that in the 2015/2016 financial year, at least Sh30 million was spent to purchase vaccines for livestock farmers in the county.

This year, a number of livestock died due to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Rongai sub-county.

At least Sh25 millon was spent to boost the dairy sector by constructing milk bulking and chilling plants in Njoro, Biashara and Nyota Wards while Sh4 million was used to procure Artificial Insemination kits which were supplied in all the 11 sub-counties.

The rest of the funds were used to purchase farming equipment, supply of coffee and avocado planting materials in Kabazi Ward and purchase, bulking and distribution of pyrethrum planting materials worth Sh12 million.