•In 2020, the number of fish farmers in Embu were 1,600 and produced 40 tonnes of fish.
•The County Department of Agriculture says it is trying to raise the number of farmers to 10,000.
Image: BENJAMIN NYAGAH
You probably can teach an old hand new tricks. A retired journalist, who worked for 26 years in different Kenyan media firms, has now become a successful fish farmer.
Alfred Kiarie, who worked for KBC among other firms, makes Sh600,000 per sale as one of Embu's leading fish farmers.
He ventured into fish farming in 2018 after he realised that the people within the county were longing for fish which were not easily available, forcing them to travel for distances.
Kiarie, whose farm is at Ndamunge village in Runyenjes Sub County, says the fish market in Embu has grown overnight and this has motivated him.
"The health department has been urging county residents to increase the fish uptake. People have also learned that fish in the diet helps in brain development and this has increased the fish market immensely," said Kiarie.
He started with only five, five-by-two metres sized pods and now boasts a total of nine ponds within his two greenhouses.
His nine ponds are divided into two greenhouses, each representing a certain variety of fish.
One has Catfish (Clarias garepinus) and the other Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).
He began only with catfish in his five ponds but the high demand for Tilapia forced him to introduce them.
He said that each breed contains different attributes from the other.
Kiarie said that Tilapia takes much time to grow compared to Catfish, although this does not affect its market as it remains the most preferred.
His journey to achieving the milestone has not been a walk in the park. He went through the high cost of ponds construction and shortage of fish feeds.
Image: BENJAMIN NYAGAH
He said that each fish pond cost him Sh30,000 to construct.
"Each pond hosts about 12,000 fish and constructing more ponds has increased the ability to serve my rapidly rising market," he said.
Kiarie also ensured his ponds were in greenhouses to ensure his farm was safe from predators, which are a challenge to most fish farmers.
"This area [near Mt Kenya] is also very cold which doesn't go well with fish and that is why I preferred greenhouses as this could help in maintaining the right temperatures," he added.
He also said that low temperatures cause stunted growth in fish and his idea to rear them in greenhouses will help.
The retired journalist also said that it requires commitment and determination to get the perfect fish yield. This is because one has to keep an eye on his fish to ensure they don't skip a development step.
For example, the fish must be sorted each week to ensure the fast-growing fish are separated from the fingerlings. Failure to do this can cause the mature ones to feed on the fingerlings, leading to great loss.
"You cannot mix mature fish with fingerlings as they will feed on fingerlings. As a farmer it's good to ensure you sort your pod each week because some fish grows faster than others and must be separated," Kiarie said.
During his first days as a fish farmer, he struggled to find feeds as he could only import them due to a shortage in the market.
So he nowadays feeds his fish on pellets that he manufactures in his home from available local materials.
Image: BENJAMIN NYAGAH
He said that the locally available materials like shrimps, canola among others have enabled him come up with his own pellets, enough for his farm.
"These feeds are readily available, nothing should hinder farmers from venturing in fish farming," he added.
For the past three years, he has enjoyed the fruits of his labour since he has made about Sh1.8 million.
He has been able to harvest about 1,500 pieces of fish, selling a single fish at Sh400.
However, his harvest comes after an average interval of eight-10 months.
"I have been able to harvest at least 1,500 pieces of fish per harvest. A single fish goes at Sh400 and this gives me about Sh600,000," he added.
Kiarie encouraged farmers to join him in fish rearing as the demand within the county is beyond supply.
Fish is rich in calcium and phosphorus and a source of minerals and thus making it an essential diet in human body.
On the other hand, Kiarie urged the Kenyan government to lower taxes of the fish feeds and materials to encourage more farmers.
He said that children in his Kagaari North Ward have been identified as lacking the best diet for brain and body development.
In 2020, the number of fish farmers in Embu were 1,600 and produced 40 tonnes of fish.
The County Department of Agriculture says it is trying to raise the number of farmers to 10,000.