Siaya county government has distributed 200,000 fingerlings to farmers to boost fish production in the region.
The distribution was done through the directorate of fisheries across six dams namely: Koga, Futro, Urange , Nyalnawe, Sandhoff and Kalejuok.
Others are Yala fish farm and Lwanda Kotieno beach management unit.
The distribution is geared towards the enhancement of production and restoration of fish stocks for improved income and diversified healthy diets in the county.
Fishery development being one of the key goals embodied in the Big 4 agenda and Siaya County Integrated Development Plan 2018-2022, the County government has been tirelessly supporting fish farmers to improve fish consumption per capita from 6.0 to 4.5 kg.
Speaking during the distribution, Assistant Director of Fisheries Emman Otieno said the fingerlings have been provided to support fish producers improve their economic activities around the dams including fish cage businesses along Lake Victoria.
He said the initiative is also aimed at restoring the dwindling number of fish in the dams and the lake.
"Yala fish farm has been earmarked as one of the centre for capacity building potential and practicing fish producers with new ideas and skills on fish business which is one of the growing industries in Siaya county," he said.
He added that the Directorate of fisheries under the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries has been in forefront to enhance the commercialisation agenda of the fish business among the value chain stakeholders.
Otieno said this has also been boosted by various programmes and projects within the county such as Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme Phase II, Kenya Climate Smart Agriculture Project and Aquaculture Business Development Programme to spearhead provision of need based interventions and material support to fish value chain actors.
Also present during the exercise was Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Chief Administrative Officer Martin Dobi, Angelo Ogola (Procurement Officer) and Stephen Oketch from Siaya Agri-value Incubation Center.
