15 counties to benefit from Sh14bn fish farming grant

Fish farming in Wangige in Kiambu County. Fish farmers in western, central and eastern Kenya will benefit from a Sh14 billion joint funding from Ifad and the national government. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The funding will help the farmers to boost production.
  • Kisumu County has deficit of 4,000 tonnes of fish annually.
  • In 2017 the country imported more than 12,000 tonnes of fish from China.

Fish farmers in western, central and eastern Kenya will benefit from a Sh14 billion joint funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) and the national government.

The funding will help the farmers to boost production.

The Aquaculture Business Development Programme will benefit Kisumu, Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii, Kakamega and Busia counties in western region.

Other counties earmarked to benefit from the programme are Nyeri, Meru, Kirinyaga, Kiambu, Tharaka-Nithi, Embu, Kajiado and Machakos.

8-YEAR PROJECT

According to Kisumu Agriculture Executive Gilchrist Okuom, the eight-year project targets areas with a high potential for aquaculture.

It will focus on capacity building for farmers, developing enterprises, supporting community nutrition initiatives and building an enabling environment and support services for aquaculture farming.

"It is not only the farmers who will benefit but the locals too. It will reduce poverty and increase food security among rural communities," Mr Okuom said in an interview with the Nation.

GENERATE INCOME

“It will also promote local income-generating businesses that provide support services to the aquaculture sector," he said.

The project comes amid declining fish stocks in Lake Victoria as the demand for the nutritious tilapia keeps increasing.

"Previously, the national government introduced the Economic Stimulus Project under President Kibaki’s regime to boost the production of fish. The project wound up and that is why we are seeking to help farmers who took up the project and faring on well," said the Kisumu CEC.

He noted that lack of access to consistent fish feeds and expensive fingerlings has been a major setback for the fish farming sector.

REDUCE POVERTY

The aquaculture sector has significant potential to reduce poverty but it is not being fully exploited.

The latest threat on fish sources could indicate that Kenya will in future need to import more fish to supplement local production.

Already, imports from China are being consumed in Kisumu, traditionally a fishing area. This has caused an uproar among locals.

FISH IMPORTS

Kenya requires one million tonnes of fish annually but only 200,000 tonnes are produced locally.

In 2017 the country imported more than 12,000 tonnes of fish from China.

The country’s fish imports from China have doubled since 2015 when it stood at USD5.94 million as a result of local supply shortfalls and the surge in demand.

Kisumu County has deficit of 4,000 tonnes of fish annually.

In 2016, out of 2,381 tonnes that were imported from China, about 100 tonnes entered Kisumu town.