Kenya: Government promotes fish for economic health

Fish farmers in a community fish pond

By Hudson Gumbihi
THE ministry of Fisheries Development has embarked an ambitious breeding programme covering all constituencies in Kenya.
More than 28,000 fish ponds will be constructed in about 140 constituencies in a bid to cushion the country against food insecurity and encourage a large population to embrace fish delicacy, which is only popular in western Kenya.

Coming out of a devastating drought that swept away a great deal of livestock, the government is now keen to ensure that citizens do not miss meat on their dinner tables when such weather phenomenon reoccurs.

Fisheries minister Paul Otuoma, while underscoring the importance of paradigm shift, blamed red tape disclosing that were it not for the bureaucratic manner in the system, the project could have been completed long ago.
He made the remarks early this week while on an inspection tour of Nakuru North and Subukia districts where the programme is being implemented. He directed government officials never to let the project turn into a white elephant. In as many years, Kenya has rolled out poverty-eradicating programmes, but most of them turned moribund due to corruption, and lack of commitment on the side of policy originators and implementers.

Otuoma urged officials to sensitize farmers on both the nutritional and economic value of fish farming. However, a majority of farmers were reluctant, complaining about exorbitant prices on materials required to set up the dams. They also said the area did not have adequate water and challenged the government to come up with a solution.

A standard fish pond will cost about Ksh 90,000 – a too high figure for most peasants who ironically, are targeted as the conveyor pelt of producing the protein-rich aquatic vertebrates. Deputy Rift Valley Provincial Commissioner John Ayienda who accompanied the minister said fish was on high demand. He added due to climate change, lakes and rivers can no longer meet the local fish demand.