Farmers benefit from Sh476m fish production project
A farmer feeds fish in one of his ponds in Samaki Park, Bungoma South Sub-county. Fish farmers in Western Kenya region have benefitted from a fish production and management training to boost the aquaculture system in the region. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The project which targets nine counties in Western Kenya region aims at increasing fish production through the pond system.
- Farmers can identify the proper site for pond construction, stoke quality fish fingerlings and use quality fish feed to get high fish produce.
- The four-year fish project will end in 2019 and targets 1,100 farmers country wide.
Over 400 farmers have benefited from Sh476 million fish production and management training to boost the aquaculture system in the Western Kenya region.
The project which targets nine counties in Western Kenya region aims at increasing fish production through the pond system.
The UK-based Farm Africa project is being implemented in Kisumu, Kakamega, Vihiga, Busia, Kisii, Nyamira, Siaya, Bungoma and Migori counties.
Farm Africa programme officer Charles Opanga said that natural water bodies can longer produce sufficient fish to satisfy the growing market.
“The project will help in addressing food security and generate income for the fish farmers in Western region,” said Mr Opanga.
With the dwindling tilapia catch in Lake Victoria, the fish pond farming will supplement the demand for fish in the market.
He said through the training, farmers can identify the proper site for pond construction, stoke quality fish fingerlings and use quality fish feed to get high fish produce.
“If farmers have good fingerlings but use substandard feeds and poor business skills, then they are bound to fail in aquaculture,” said Mr Opanga.
The four-year fish project will end in 2019 and targets 1,100 farmers country wide.
