Kakamega residents will get feed and other subsidies from the county administration if they take up fish farming.
Livestock and Fisheries chief officer Kelly Nelima on Tuesday said Sh13.5 million has been set aside for the fish feeds subsidy programme. The county wants more people involved in fish farming to boost their incomes. The administration is also supplying farmers with standard fishing nets.
"The county government shares the cost of fish feed with the farmers on a 50-50 basis. Under this programme, farmers have purchased feed worth Sh6 million,” she said.
The county has 500 fish farmers registered under the Kakamega County Fish Farmers Cooperative Union.
Nelima said the initiative by the county government is aimed at ensuring that farmers meet the demand for the Kakamega Fish Processing Plant when it starts operations.
"Our farmers will be assured of a market for their fish and improved income once the plant starts operations," she added.
She said the county also plans to construct a fish feed factory and a warehouse at the plant.
Also stepped up are extension services where experts hired by the government visit farmers to guide them on best practices and share new technologies in fish farming.
“We have improved how things are done and we are recruiting more farmers into fish farming in the county,” Nelima said.
Edited by A.N
