The County Government of Kakamega has begun supplying Monosex Tilapia fingerlings to support farmers to start rearing fish in ponds.
About 581 farmers identified through the Aquaculture Business Development Programme (ABDP) will benefit from 581, 000 fingerlings with each of them getting 1000.
The ABDP is a programme jointly funded by the Government of Kenya and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) meant to increase smallholder aquaculture development in 15 counties, Kakamega being one of them.
The largest fish farmer in Kakamega Laban Mwanzo who owns Labed Cash Marine Enterprise Fish Farm in Malava is the one supplying farmers with fingerlings from his farm through support from the county government.
Labed Fish farm produces more than 2 million fingerlings per month with each fingerling going for Sh2.50. Today, they have supplied to 51 farmers in Lurambi and 44 farmers in Navakholo.
The activity will continue throughout the week to reach out to all identified farmers across Kakamega’s 12 sub counties.
Mwanzo said Kakamega is the biggest beneficiary with more than 581 benefiting as compared to counties of Kisii, Siaya, Busia, Kisumu where he has also supplied the fingerlings.
“These other counties have received less than 300 000 fingerlings compared to Kakamega,” he noted, adding that farmers who have benefited from the fingerlings will also get fish feeds to support them to cut costs of feeding.
One of the beneficiary farmers, Zechariah Bobusi Anguso, said after benefiting from 1000 fingerlings he will increase to more than 3000. He said he expects a bumper harvest from the supply.
By Moses Wekesa
