Nyeri County To Embark on Fish Farming

The county government of Nyeri through the department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries issued support geared towards fish farming in the county during it’s first annual aquaculture day held on Friday May 20,2021 at Wambugu Agriculture Training Centre.

A total of 167 fish farmers from all the sub counties received 1,000 Tilapia monosex fingerlings each and fish feeds. 

438 small scale fish farmers also benefitted with aquaculture inputs such as liners, fencing materials, Aquaculture hand book, cool boxes, harvesting nets, life saver jackets, and fish menu books through the support of Aquaculture Business Development Programme, ABDP.

The day themed “Fish for All, All for Fish” was mainly to create a platform to bring aquaculture stakeholders together for knowledge and skills exchange, showcase aquaculture innovations along the various nodes of aquaculture value chain, and give Aquaculture the national prominence it deserves.

Nyeri County together with ABDP, have been holding eat more fish campaigns in Sub Counties to ensure that the community is informed on the health benefits of fish as well as increase the number of fish consumers.

Nyeri governor, Mutahi Kahiga, said that the day will reflect on the strides made in aquaculture sector farmed fish, in regard to;

• Increased fish production and productivity

• Adoption of new aquaculture technologies such as raised pond and Aquaponics

• Adoption of climate smart aquaculture such use of lined pond in porous soil areas and dry areas

• Increase knowledge in fish farming

“Fisheries sector plays a significant role in social and economic development and contributes to food security, revenue generation, job creation and wealth,” remarked Kahiga, “the County Government of Nyeri has been aggressive in promoting fish farming with the main aim of enhancing fish production.”  

In the financial year 2019/2020, the county undertook stocking of 30 public dams each with 7,000 tilapia mixed sex fingerlings, stocked 45 fish cages each with 1,000 Tilapia monosex fingerlings and 248 x 25 kgs bags of fish feeds for the development of fisheries sector.

The governor also confirmed that the privatization of Wamagana fish factory is in progress to enhance public private producer partnership.

Governor Kahiga urged all the farmers and beneficiaries to put effort in utilization of inputs given and work together with fisheries extension officers in order to help attain the programme objective of increasing fish production.