•Kenya's fish demand currently stands at more than 1 million tonnes against an annual production of 250,000 tones
•Most fish farming is still small scale and community based unlike commercial and modern fish rearing that targets a wider market
Recent media reports, if true, carry a warning with respect to China sourced fish. Specifically, reports indicate that the lead content of fish imported from China is outside the expected range, with pundits highlighting the same as, in some instances, being 427 times the expected levels.
This outlines a quality control problem that besieges imported food commodities, especially where mass market production is involved. However, it also points out an opportunity, with respect to the room for growth of local industries, such as fish farming. With local demand exceeding one million tonnes of fish annually, against a local production of a meagre 250,000 tonnes annually, a local supply deficiency presents significant opportunities for growth.
Kenya is well capable of producing enough fish domestically both for local consumption and for onward export. The Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute’s aquaculture brief of 2017 indicates Kenya’s physical potential for fish production is virtually unlimited – keeping in mind her vast network of aquatic resources comprising of fresh water lakes, rivers and an extensive ocean resource base.
However, in spite of the vast potential noted above, Kenya has largely struggled to increase fish production so as to reduce reliance on imported fish. With a majority of fish farmers placing reliance on outdated and illegal fishing techniques, and the effects of pollution taking its toll, efficiency in Kenya’s fish market is a preserve of the few successful fish farms out there – of note being Victoria Fish Farm located in Sindo Beach, Homa Bay County. This is despite extensive incentives by the government targeted are boosting local fish production by educating farmers on improved farming techniques. Of particular note is the Nyeri County government investment of 99.3 million toward the fish farming industry; the county government’s appeal to residents to embrace fish farming has largely fallen on deaf ears, with local farmers noting that fish farming is both expensive and fails to bring in a worthwhile return on investment.
This largely summarises a major problem facing the fish industry in Kenya. Due to the largely peasant approach to fish farming in Kenya, an approach that lacks efficiency, locally produced fish tends to be too expensive to compete with fish imported from external sources. Coupled with dwindling fish reserves due to unsustainable fishing techniques the picture may not look all too great. On one front, locally produced fish is being undercut by cheaper fish from China and India – while on the other, local production is falling due to dwindling fish reserves.
While a song preached far and wide, the key to turning this trend lies in commercialising fish farming in Kenya. Keeping in mind the benefits of economies of scale, the mind-set of the average fish farmer should shift from small scale community based fishing farming to modern commercial fish farming that targets a wide market. Under a modernised approach to fish farming, which focuses on optimal and efficient production, successful fish farms such as Victoria Fish Farm will be the norm rather than the exception.
Karen Kandie – MD IDB Capital