State to build fish feed factories in counties

By RENSON BULUMA and GRACE WEKESA

The Fisheries Ministry has announced plans to construct fish feed factories in all counties to boost the industry.

Western Provincial Director of Fisheries (PDF) Aggrey Busiega said Vihiga, Kakamega, Busia and Bungoma counties would each benefit from a fish feed factory to increase production.

The factories will produce fish feed from locally available raw materials and sell to farmers at affordable cost.

Mr Busiega said the move is part of Government efforts to implement fish agricultural enterprise.

“The project seeks to provide fish farming as a source of food, source of income and employment for various groups involved in the sector,” he said.

Busiega disclosed that productivity programmes, which began three years ago will be handed over to selected fish farmers from all the counties. The PDF said local farmers have increased the number of fishponds to more than 12,500 from 7,200 ponds.

Busiega attributed the increase to proper information dissemination and technical support offered by the Fisheries Ministry officials.

“The country has a demand of 750,000 tonnes but currently we can only produce 150,000 tonnes of fish,” he said.

Busiega added that the Government has also constructed a Sh60 million fish processing plant in Kakamega County and two similar facilities will be built at Kamukuywa and Nangina in Bungoma and Busia counties.

According to Kakamega County Director of Fisheries James Mahaja, the region’s earnings from fish farming have improved drastically from Sh43 million the previous harvest to Sh100 million.

“Farmers in phase one recorded a profit of Sh63,615,047 million,” said Mahaja. He regretted that Sh8 million of fish was lost after floods swept way 370 ponds in the county.