More farmers are taking up fish farming in Uasin Gishu and neighbouring counties of the region that is popular as the country’s grain basket that leads in production of maize and wheat.
Over
4,000 framers are now engaging in fish farming in Uasin Gishu, an increase from
less than 2,000 in the last two years amid the ongoing campaign to sensitise
farmers on the need to diversify from reliance on grain.
As
many farmers venture into high value crops like coffee and avocados, a sizable
number have taken up fish farming at a time when a survey indicates that
consumption of fish in the region is on the rise.
In
a spirited push to scale up fish farming in the region, the county assembly
committee for livestock and fisheries conducted extensive field visits to
assess the state of aquaculture.
Committee chairman Nicholas Bittok and chief officer Nixon Cheplong led MCAs and senior officials to several fish farms to gain first-hand information about development of fish farming.
“We
wanted to see for ourselves how fish farming is being practised across the
county and what support our farmers need to thrive,” Bittok said.
The
MCAs and officials visited successful fish farmers including Imani Farms in
Kapsoya area, where fish ponds exemplified sustainable aquaculture techniques.
The
team also visited farmer Peter Kattam, who operates four earthen ponds and has
successfully integrated fish farming into his hospitality business, selling
fresh fish at his hotel.
Cheplong
said the engagement was the beginning as the government was committed to
working with farmers to transform aquaculture into a major economic driver in
Uasin Gishu.
Governor
Jonathan Bii’s Nguzo Kumi blueprint has placed agriculture, agribusiness, livestock
and fisheries at the heart of the county’s economic development.
Consumption
of fish is on the increase as residents adopt new diary habits.
The
government has initiatives to promote fish farming by restocking dams with
fingerlings. The administration has also initiated a fish for health programme
under which fish is sold every Friday at the fisheries office.
The
University of Eldoret has partnered with counties to promote fish farming. The
university has developed a hatchery to produce fingerlings.
“As
we encourage farmers to diversify, fish farming is one of the lucrative area we
are also promoting as an alternative to crop farming”, Cheplong said.
A
farmer can make up to Sh300,000 from a quarter an acre of fish farming in ponds
compared to about Sh20,000 from maize on the same size of land annually.
