Kenyan fish farmers receive 68 tons of feeds from county government

KENYA – Machakos county government, in partnership with the Aquaculture Business Development Programme (ABDP), has procured 68 tons of high-quality fish feeds worth US$0.89m (Ksh12m) to enhance fish production in the county.

ABDP is a programme jointly funded by the Government of Kenya and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

Machako’s governor, Ms. Wavinya Ndeti, disclosed that the programme will be implemented across 11 wards in Masinga, Kangundo, and Matungulu sub-counties as a way of increasing household incomes and better nutrition.

Wavinya reiterated the county government’s commitment to enhancing fish farming and pledged to collaborate with the national government and the ABDP unit to boost fish farming in Machakos.

Through the program, 1000 beneficiaries have been identified and boarded in the project. 685 of these farmers have received different inputs, while 562 of these farmers have received pond liners, and 123 have received bird nets and predator kits.

“Fish farming is a very key sector in alleviating hunger and poverty, and I urge beneficiaries of this programme to be diligent for improved nutrition, diversity, and food security. The programme is also running in four primary schools through the construction of fishponds, provision of 1,000 fingerlings, pond liners, fencing materials, and sufficient feeds,” she said.

“We have issued 562 pond liners besides distributing 232,000 fingerlings last year in December.”

She disclosed that three other similar consignments will be distributed in Tala, Yatta, and Masinga today or over the week.

In Machakos County, the fisheries sector is a key contributor to household incomes with commercial fish farming as well as capture fisheries from the dams and rivers in the county contributing up to US$8.6m annually.

The County Agriculture and Cooperatives executive committee member (CECM) Dr. Bishop Joel Nzomo said it is one of the programs the county is rolling out in a bid to realize its clarion call of Chakula Mezani, Pesa Mfukoni.

He also reaffirmed the department’s commitment to achieving the project goals, which include increasing incomes, enhancing food security, and boosting the nutritional status of the larger community in Machakos involved in aquaculture.

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