Nyeri County government now wants to make aquaculture farming mandatory to boost food security in the region.
During the opening of Aquaculture Business Development Programme(ABDP) startup workshop, the governor said a programme is funded by IFAD ( International Fund for Agricultural Development) which aims at investing in people in rural localities.
Kahiga said the project focuses on promoting production by smallholder aquaculture farmers and developing producer public-private partnerships along the value chains.
The workshop was attended by representatives from more than 15 countries as well as Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Blue Economy Prof. Micheni Japheth Ntiba was the chief guest.
“The program which will be headquartered in Nyeri County will last for 8 years and targets counties keen on aquaculture, high production, existing sectoral infrastructure (processing, marketing, and research) adequate water resources and marketing potential. A total of Sh 14.9 billion has been disbursed to fund this programme, which will stimulate aquaculture,” he said.
The Governor expressed his gratitude to the national government for choosing Nyeri County to be the host and headquarters of (ABDP).
Nyeri County has been working round the clock in reviving fish farming and production.
The County proudly hosts one of the four Mini fish processing factories at Wamagana Tetu Sub County alongside three others in the country namely: Migori, Kakamega and South Imenti. The plant was designed to serve the entire central region. There have been consultative deliberations to revive Wamagana fish processing factory.
The County Government has identified fish farming as a major rural economy for Nyeri County in line with the Blue Economy aspirations. Currently, Nyeri County has a total of 1,586 active fish farmers with a total of 1,893 fish ponds. To this end the Government of Nyeri has purchased a 3 tons refrigerated truck.
10,200 kgs capacity deep freezers all worth 1.2 M and 10 electronic weighing scales that have been distributed to each sub county and two at Wamagana. Further, it has supplied over 350,000 fingerlings and introduced cage farming in various dams while at the same time rehabilitating fish ponds.
In attendance during the launch were the Deputy Governor Dr. Caroline Karugu, Kakamega Deputy Governor Prof M. Kutima, IFAD Country Director and Head East Africa and Indian Ocean Hub Ms. Esther Kasalu-Coffin, acting Agriculture CEC Robert Thuo, Chief of Staff Paul Wambugu, Central Regional Commissioner Wildred Nyagwanga and County Commissioner Ng’etich Kipkemei.