The government plans to invest fifteen billion shillings to revive aquaculture farming in fifteen counties.
Through the initiative the government intends to double the current per capita fish consumption in the country from the current 4.5 kg per annum to over 10 kg per year in the next ten years.
Fisheries Principal Secretary Prof. Muchemi Ntiba says the government will assist farmers with 70% of seed money while the farmers will be required to cough the remaining 30%.
In 2009 the government identified aquaculture as a key economic enabler under the economic stimulus programme.
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However poor execution strategies and mismanagement of the project led to the failure of the well-thought-out initiative.
Last year the government launched a ten year agriculture sector transformation and growth strategy whereby the fisheries and aquaculture sub-sectors have been identified as critical in boosting food security.
Under the programme small-scale fish farmers will benefit from 15 billion shillings kitty which is partly funded by the government and the International Fund for Agricultural Development IFAD.
Fisheries Principal Secretary Muchemi Ntiba says the counties identified are in Mt Kenya and the Western Kenya counties.
Ntiba says the project will create opportunities for over 35,500 households across the value chain and help double fish production.
Currently Kenya produces 170 thousand metric tonnes of fish and an annual consumption of 600,000 metric tons.
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