The Government has issued a total of Sh124 million worth of grants to fish farmers in 15 Counties under the Aquaculture Business Development Programme (ABDP).
ABDP is a programme jointly funded by the government of Kenya and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to support small-holder farmer sustainability and profit from fish farming.
The grants will benefit Small Holder Aquaculture Groups (SAGs) that include both women and youth groups, Aquaculture Support Enterprises (ASEs) and Aquaculture Field Schools (AFSs).
ABDP has been supporting fish farmers in Kenya for several years with the current grant set to support enterprises along the value chain from production, pond digging, fish feed making, value addition and transportation.
The Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Hassan Joho presided over the issuance of the grant cheques where Kakamega County received a grant of Sh18 170 000 with over 2944 farmers set to benefit.
Joho disclosed that since its inception, ABDP has invested over Sh 257 million in Kakamega county which has been used to provide pond liners, predator kits of about Sh188 million, construction of Kakamega fresh fish market at a cost of Sh10 million, issuance of fingerlings at a cost of Sh18 million and supplied fish feeds at a cost of about Sh41 million.
“What we are launching today is a Sh124 million grant, we are anticipating we will have around Sh329 million of grants in phase 2, so continue to design programmes and keep sending proposals so that we can convince IFAD that these programmes are making impact and they are changing lives,” he explained.
The CS noted that the government has earmarked huge investment in the blue economy to transform how fisher folk do their business and in turn transform the lives of Kenyans.
“People have started to appreciate aquaculture, for me it is critical because this is our new frontier, it is not only about food security, it is very critical in job creation and wealth creation,” he disclosed.
The CS said the government is spending Sh1.6billion to build landing sites in different areas in all the Lake counties including the coastal region which will have ice making machines and cooling systems.
“We are building 10 fish markets in 10 counties at the cost of Sh70 million, we want people to produce more, so we have to create a market base that is adequate to the production,” he added.
He also noted that the ABDP programme will invest around Sh100million in fingerling production to support farmers who are struggling to get high quality fingerlings.
“We are creating a means of alternative livelihood in the lake region, this programme has Sh359 million that will be used to procure cages for our brothers in the lake region. We give them cages, we give them fingerlings and then we try and support them on fish feeding programmes for sustainability,” he explained.
“We are continuing to roll out our programme on pond liners, predator nets which are catered for with Sh1.8billion investment. We will ensure it reaches the right people, timely and it does what it is supposed to do,” he noted.
Host governor Fernandes Barasa welcomed the grants to fish farmers noting that the ABDP programme has been instrumental in reinventing fish farming in the region.
He noted that since inception, the ABDP programme has supported 2885 level 1 farmers with either predator or bird net kits, PVC liners, fingerlings and fish feeds.
The programme, Governor Barasa said, has led to establishment of a total of 87 Aquaculture Smallholder Groups (ASGs) and 90 Aquaculture Small Enterprises (ASEs) which have been registered and operationalized in the county.
“Fishery extension service provision has been enhanced courtesy of the support of the programme in which we have vehicles and also eleven motorcycles. A fishing boat has been availed at Lumino dam in Likuyani Sub County to facilitate optimization of the dam fishery activities,” he added.
Governor Barasa also revealed that the ABDP programme has supported the county government in constructing a fresh fish market at Masingo in Lurambi sub county.
“Whereas phase 1 of this programme place emphasis on fish production thus resulting into increased incomes, the next phase of ABDP will focus on fish marketing, profitability and sustainability, I am optimistic that this phase will create more jobs, entrench a culture of entrepreneurship and raise revenue for the county,” the governor added.
By Moses Wekesa
