Kisumu governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o has welcomed the cabinet decision to approve the Sh1 billion fisheries and aquaculture project in the county.
Prof. Nyong’o said discussions on the Kabonyo Fisheries and Aquaculture Service and Training Project have been going on between the county and national governments for the past one year.
“We thank the cabinet for approving the project after successful discussions between us, the State Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and development partners,” he said.
In a statement to the media, the governor said the project had come at the right time, when the county government was wooing investments in the blue economy.
The cabinet, chaired by President William Ruto on Wednesday approved the project which is tipped to turn around the fortunes for fishermen and fish farmers in the area.
The centre will facilitate training, research, innovation and best practices in fisheries and aquaculture through demonstrations and incubations.
A Nile Perch multiplication centre is set to be established alongside an aquaculture resource centre and the Kenya Fishing School on the over 100-acre piece of land.
Other programmes include adoption, domestication and selective breeding of Common Carp, Milk Fish, Tilapia and catfish to increase the numbers available to small and large scale fish farmers.
The centre will also offer complimentary sources of production of raw materials for animal feeds and fertiliser thereby reducing the current inordinate pressure on Lake Victoria to rejuvenate the lake’s fish production.
Prof. Nyong’o said the County Department for Fisheries will work hand in hand with the national government to make the project a success.
Kisumu County Chief Officer in charge of Fisheries Rosemary Raluoch termed the project as a game changer for the fisheries sector in the lake region.
“This is one of the flagship projects that the county department of agriculture, irrigation, livestock and fisheries has been pursuing with the national government. We are happy that it has been delivered,” she said.
By Chris Mahandara
