Ministry in new drive to boost fish-eating culture
Fish traders display their wares at the Kisumu municipal market. The Fisheries Development ministry has injected over Sh15 million in a drive to popularise fish eating in the North Rift. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
The campaign under the Economic Stimulus Programme, which has been going on in Elgeyo-Marakwet County for the past one and half years, is meant to boost fish farming.
The Fisheries Development ministry has injected over Sh15 million in a drive to popularise fish eating in the North Rift.
The campaign under the Economic Stimulus Programme, which has been going on in Elgeyo-Marakwet County for the past one and half years, is meant to boost fish farming.
Elgeyo-Marakwet County fisheries assistant officer Patrick Komen said the department had supervised construction of over 300 fish ponds in Keiyo North and South districts.
“After conducting education campaigns, a number of learning institutions, groups, and individual farmers constructed fish ponds,” he said.
Each fish pond cost Sh25,000 to dig and the department gave out 1,000 free fingerlings to every pond owner.
Mr Komen said that the department provided over 15 bags of 20 kilogramme fish feeds to every pond owner to encourage the farmers to embrace the practice.
Last weekend, the department cooked over 200 fish at Iten Grounds where the public sampled the delicacies during the campaign dubbed Eat More Fish.
The public was also taught how to prepare fish. Uasin Gishu and Elgeyo-Marakwet counties assistant fisheries officer Evans Ochoki said that the campaign aimed at changing the attitude of residents towards fish and promoting consumption. “Local traders and residents should be on the forefront of buying fish to promote farming,” said Mr Ochoki.
The official said that fish is rich in protein and other nutrients, adding that it is more healthy compared to meat from other animals.
Among those present at the event were fisheries officials from the North Rift including Mr Sidi Ngumbao and Mr Charles Mwaniki.
Other than individual farmers and youth and women groups, local institutions engaged in fish farming include St Alphonsus Mutei Girls’ Secondary School, Sing’ore Girls’ Secondary School, Tambach Boys’ Secondary School, and Chepkopin Primary School.
“Initially, we thought fish farming was not viable. We lacked knowledge on its economic value,’’ said Mr Kanda Kibor, a farmer.
Ernest Chepkana said fish farming had raised his earnings. Mr Komen said that the main challenge facing fish farmers in the area was the soil type which does not hold water. But the problem had been overcome by use of pond liners, he said.
He said that the department encourages farmers to keep tilapia fish, adding that it was the most farmed variety in the world.
“Tilapia is becoming more popular because it is relatively cheap, has neutral flavour, and is easy to manage.’’ The species is omnivorous, so is eats bugs, plankton, and plants making it environment friendly.
“The Iten weather is cool and unfriendly to fish which takes them up to a year and six months to mature, while in the warm lowlands of Tambach and Kerio Valley it takes between nine months and one year,” said Mr Komen.
Some communities in the North Rift region don’t eat fish because of lack of information on its value.
