Feeds supplier bets on app for quality checks at fish farms

What you need to know:

AquaRech, according to its developers, will contain information on where to get quality feeds and where to sell their produce.
JOSDAV Enterprise, a Kisumu based feeds supplier developed the app into an interactive format that works on Android phones and meant to improve management of aquaculture for small scale pond farmers in Kenya.

A farm feeds venture in Kisumu is aiming at bridging the quality gap in the market using a mobile app to educate farmers.

Designers say they were inspired by lack of consistency and high quality fish feeds, which, they say, is a major challenge for fish farmers.

AquaRech, according to its developers, will contain information on where to get quality feeds and where to sell their produce.

JOSDAV Enterprise, a Kisumu based feeds supplier developed the app into an interactive format that works on Android phones and meant to improve management of aquaculture for small scale pond farmers in Kenya.

JOSDAV Enterprises director Dave Okech says the app will address the major challenges farmers faced in aquaculture.

“Small scale fish farmers face a lot of challenges revolving around poor management of the farms, lack of modern fish technology, access to high quality feeds and lower prices offered by middlemen who exploit fishermen,” said Mr Okech.

Through the app, farmers can order feeds and have it delivered to their farms.

“Most farmers have no idea where to get high quality feeds. Through the database we have they can get a range of quality feeds.” He said the app offers a feed regime for the fish depending on size and quantity per day.

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In aquaculture, temperature determines what amount of feed the fish would consume.

“The app will calculate quantity of feeds the fish should be consuming per day based on the water temperature, the stock and size of the fish,” said Mr Okech.

Subscribers and users of AquaRech will be charged Sh2,000 annual fee.

“We are at the pilot stage, so far we have 50 farmers who are actively using the app. We are targeting 10,000 fish farmers doing pond and cage systems,” he said.

Evans Akumu a cage fish farmer in Homa Bay County said the app has helped him to keep records and monitor growth of fish.

“The market is flooded with crude fish feeds which frustrate farmers,” said Mr Akumu.