The Department of
Fisheries in collaboration with the International Fund for Agriculture
Development (IFAD) has developed a programme to help farmers as part of efforts
to increase incomes, food security and nutritional status of poor rural
households.
Chief
Administrative Secretary (CAS) Agriculture, Livestock, Cooperatives and
Fisheries Linah Jebii Kilimo said the government was committed to transforming
the lives of rural communities through fish farming.
Speaking at the
Kaiga Animal Feed Factory in Kerugoya Kutus, Kirinyaga County Mrs Kilimo said
the country has a lot of potential in fish farming.
She said the
potential if fully utilized can transform the lives of Kenyans, and earn
farmers millions of shillings.
She said the
government has also launched fish feeds offer to framers, noting that for a
long time, fish farmers have been struggling to feed their fish due to the
unavailability of feeds in the market.
Cost of fish
feeds, she said is high forcing many to walk out from the
programme.
“We have now
introduced an e-voucher that will help farmers access fish feeds up to 70
percent. The rest 30 percent of the feeds will be efforts of the farmer,” said
Mrs Kilimo.
She regretted that
many farmers have been forced to use poultry feeds, which slow their growth and
affect their weight due to financial constraints among farmers.
She was
accompanied by Fisheries Principal Secretary Micheni Ntiba said aquaculture
helps create jobs, thus leading to industrialization.
The CAS said the
government has invested in the construction of dams in arid and semi-arid areas
besides stocking them.
CAS Agriculture, Livestock, Cooperatives and Fisheries Linah Jebii Kilimo with Fisheries PS Prof Micheni Ntiba during the launch of aquaculture fish pond at Kerugoya-Kutus in Kirinyaga county.
“We intend to have
a fish demonstration farm in every county. We are helping construct dams and
stock them for the community to benefit from such as demonstration centres,”
said Mrs Kilimo.
Prof Ntiba said 50
percent of fish now in the world market was from the aquaculture.
“People all over
the world are now embracing aquaculture fish where developed countries are now
returning to rural areas to engage in this king of farming,” said Prof Ntiba.
He asked farmers
have been urged to embrace intensive aquaculture activities in order to
generate more income.
“This venture is
very profitable. If you embrace it, you will have an improved living standard, nothing is impossible,” he told the
farmers.
He said there is alot of demand for fish as white meat is currently more preferred for its health
benefits, adding that there was a need to utilize the opportunity.
Prof Ntiba asked Kenyans to move away from the traditional fish
mongering to value addition by freezing, making fish sausages, fillets and
other products.
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