Egerton University has set up a new ultra-modern aquaculture facility to upscale appropriate climate smart technologies, innovations and management practices towards enhancing fish production in Nakuru County.
The University is now using the facility to train farmers, investors, teachers, extension officers, agrovets and other stakeholders on how to run sustainable and profitable aquaculture businesses.
Director of Agro-Science Park (GOK, Vision 2030 Flagship Project), Prof. Paul Kimurto said the project was focusing on increasing access to an availability of breeding stock, high quality and affordable feeds and fingerlings delivery systems, as well as training farmers in better management practices to build their skills and knowledge.
The Director said the project was working with Egerton University’s Agro-Science Park at Ngongongeri Farm in Njoro and was aimed at upscaling appropriate climate smart technologies, innovations and management practices in the fisheries sub sector.
Prof. Kimurto added that beyond research, the facility was supporting community outreach programs, offering training to farmers, students, and stakeholders on modern aquaculture techniques.
He observed that the fisheries sector continues to play a vital role for the blue economy transformation by being a vital source of food and nutrition security in addition to reducing poverty by generating revenue, creating wealth and providing a safety net.
The sector, the Director explained, creates employment through provision of fishery commodities for trade and development of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), providing cultural diets that further contributes to the sustainable economic development of coastal and riparian inland water communities.
Prof. Kimurto observed that the integration of innovative feed production, coupled with practical training at Fish farm, was equipping the next generation of aquaculture experts while fostering food security initiatives.
He noted that fish farmers across the country were constrained by the availability of adequate amounts and quality of fish feeds.
In this regard, the Agro-Science Park Fish Farm, he added was collaborating with various research agencies and was spearheading the development of insect-based protein rich feeds for improved growth of fish and high profitability from fish farming enterprises.
While noting that one of the Agro-Science Park Fish farm’s groundbreaking initiatives was the production of high-protein fish feed using Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae, Professor Kimurto explained that the black soldier fly larvae was rich in proteins, energy (lipids), minerals and vitamins.
“Recognized for its sustainability and affordability, BSF-based feed is revolutionizing fish nutrition by providing an eco-friendly alternative to conventional fish meal,” he added.
Prof. Kimurto who is also Head of Egerton University Seed Unit and Team Leader Seeds of Gold Communication Platform, said because the larvae can be reared on any organic waste, farmers could produce them from common wastes easily found in organic manure and kitchen refuse.
According to various reports there is an expansion in global consumption of fish, which has been driven not only by increasing production, but also factors such as reduced wastage and postharvest loss alleviations.
Fisheries resources are also said to play a key role in food and nutrition security as fish accounts for 17 percent of global protein source.
The Director said besides encouraging fish consumption, Agro-Science Park Fish farms was also promoting fish quality sanitary standards and programmes as the Farm stands as a hub of research, innovation, and sustainable aquaculture.
“With state-of-the-art fish ponds, this facility serves as a center for advanced studies in fish farming, addressing food security and economic empowerment,” explained the Director.
On the trainings at the Agro-Science Park Fish farm, Prof. Kimurto explained that the farmers were first taught on how to select their species well, a move which he said should be influenced by the market demands and the type of fish pond one plans to establish.
For instance, Nile tilapia is a species generally accepted by the market and therefore has a higher demand compared to other species like barracuda. Further to species selection, fishpond stocking has a great influence on the size of fish at maturity. Understocking will result in large but poor harvests which may not be economical.
On the other hand, overstocking was said to result in stunted growth and thus many but smaller fish at the end. Farmers are trained on optimal stocking rate which depends on the species kept and the weight at stocking. For instance, the experts explain that Tilapia should be stocked at two fingerlings per meter square.
Farmers are also taught on how to ensure that the ponds are fertile to support the growth of pond organisms which fish feed on. This is normally done by applying agricultural lime and organic manure into the pond. Organic manure can be got from rabbit, poultry, goat, sheep, cattle or donkey manure, added the Director.
The Director further said that Agro-Science Park was also training farmers to integrate fish farming with other enterprises on the farm so that the by-products or wastes are used as fish feed.
In Kenya, the average total fish production is 167,000 tons from both aquaculture and capture fisheries. Official records from fisheries indicate that the per capita fish consumption stands at 4.7 kilogram per person per annum which is said to be lower than the average rate for East African Community and African Continent which stands at 7 and 10 kilograms per person per annum respectively.
The fisheries sector is an important component of Kenya’s economy, which fisheries statistics indicate contributes about 0.7 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in foreign exchange earnings and job creation.
This is mainly earned through the sale of fish and fish products, and the sector is not only vital to the economy but also significant in subsidizing dietary needs and nutrition of Kenyans.
Fisheries data shows that during the year 2022, a total of 173,741 metric tonnes (MT) of fish worth Sh37.6 billion was produced in the country. This production dipped a bit in 2023, where the production value of fish was Sh35.9 billion with a production of roughly 161,000 metric tonnes of fish.
Fresh-water fish accounted for the largest quantity of the fish landings, with 121,000 metric tonnes in that year of 2023. Moreover, some 40,000 metric tonnes of fish from marine sources were produced in the country in that period. This reduction was mainly due to dwindling fish stocks in the water bodies.
The aquaculture in Kenya recorded 31,767 MT valued at 10.0 billion as compared to 27,939 MT valued at 9.7 billion in 2022, according to statistics from the fisheries sector.
This increase was attributed to expanding cage culture enterprises in Lake Victoria. On other hand the land-based aquaculture production continues to stagnate mainly due to what the experts say are low level of pond stocking and a considerable number of inactive ponds.
By Esther Mwangi
