The government has restocked 10 dams in Murang’a with more than 55,000 tilapia fingerlings.
The restocking is undertaken by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to support communities living near the dama.
Murang’a South Fisheries Officer John Mwangi Kamau said the programme was started last month in line as part of the Big Four agenda that includes food security.
Each of the dams received 5,000 fingerlings except Muli dam that got 10,000 fingerlings because of its larger size.
Mwangi said eight of the dams are in Murang’a South, one is in Kigumo and another in Maragua.
“The surrounding communities will get fish from the dam for food and for sale,” Mwangi said.
He said dams can hold more fish. Mwangi said the post-fingerlings will start breeding in three months and fully mature in a year. The fish will not be fed and will rely on the dam ecosystem to survive.
“The fish will greatly improve nutrition and will also help to improve their economies,” he said.
A management committee is being formed for each dam to monitor the programme.
Ornamental fish will also be raised in the dams. They will be harvested and sold to individuals and corporate firms for decoration.
“Ornamental fish are beautiful and very therapeutic. An increasing number of people are buying them for pleasure," Mwangi said.
Youths are being encouraged to start cage fish farming and make a living after dams are de-silted.
“We want the dams fenced for better protection and will erect signposts for protected areas," Mwangi said
Murang’a Woman Representative Sabina Chege visited Githanji dam during its restocking. Chege said she got interested after learning the county had been excluded from a fish farming programme piloted in the area years ago.
Chege urged the national government to de-silt dams instead of spending huge amounts of money to build new ones.
After de-silting, "we can lobby for coolers to help residents open outlets at Kenol which is the gateway of the Mt Kenya region,” she said.
