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NEWS & CURRENT AFFAIRS

The Nairobian

Vihiga county farmers fish for extra coin in ponds

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By Standard Reporter | Aug 25, 2020

Vihiga county has for a long time been dependent on subsistence farming, a venture that has seen households consume solely what is produced on small pieces of land available.

Emerging technological changes have posed new challenges to Vihiga people; both exciting and excruciating at the same time.

The narrative is however changing with the advent of new farming methods that are geared towards changing their mindsets from subsistence farming to agribusiness.

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To meet the need for scaling up agribusiness in Vihiga county, the local government has established the Mwitoko Fish Hatchery and Aquaculture Training Centre in Wemilabi Ward, Luanda subcounty.

The centre with a capacity of producing more than a million fingerlings per year has come in handy in spurring household economies within the county.

The fingerlings produced at the farm are sold to fish farmers at a subsidised price.

On our tour to the farm on a warm afternoon, we are welcomed by Wilson Munala, the county director in charge of fisheries.

We are amazed by the expansive land that hosts 31 fish ponds with catfish and tilapia varieties.

Munala invites us to the fish indoor house where artificial catfish propagation is done. Propagation of the tilapia variety is done in the ponds.

"Currently we are supplying fingerlings to farmers in Vihiga and neighbouring counties," Munala says.

"As you walked in, we were working on an order for a farmer from Siaya County."

Munala admits that the demand for fingerlings is overwhelming because on a monthly basis the farm gets orders of more than 50,000 fingerlings from farmers.

The farm lacks the capacity to sustain such overwhelming demands. He says the lack of enough manpower at the farm is a challenge, but he is hopeful that soon the county administration will employ more staff to mitigate staff shortage.

The directorate has requested for six technical staff and six support staff.

Japheth Amutete, a local fish farmer, acknowledges the impact of Mwitoko Fish Hatchery and Aquaculture Training Centre to their group.

He says the farm has transformed many lives while keeping youths busy.

"The farm has created employment for our youths and the community at large, we feel empowered economically by this farm," says Amutete.

Apart from fingerling production, Mwitoko fish hatchery offers training to farmers, an initiative geared towards building capacity to farmers to get it right as far as fish farming is concerned.

Mwitoko Fish Hatchery and Aquaculture Training Centre was established in 2018 by the Vihiga county government.

It is the largest fish farm and aquaculture training centre in the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB).

According to Vihiga Governor Dr Wilber Ottichilo, the project is worth every coin that was invested, adding that value addition will make farmers realise substantial returns from fish farming.

"My administration is committed to ensuring that our farmers diversify from the classical maize farming to other ventures like this to realise value for money," the governor adds.

Ottichilo said agribusiness is the way to go in the modern day since agriculture presents a myriad of opportunities for investment.

"I am hopeful that this being the biggest fish project in the LREB region, Vihiga county will benefit more by many farmers coming to the fray of fish farming."

The Governor said his main focus is on agriculture because the sector offers jobs to more people compared to formal employment which has limited opportunities.