14 counties to benefit from Sh14b fish programme

The national government has set aside Sh14 billion through the Aquaculture Business Development Program (ABDP) to revive fish farming in the country.

The programme targets Nyeri, Kirinyaga, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado Counties.

Kakamega, Homabay, Migori, Busia, Siaya, Kisumu and Kisii counties are also set to benefit from the program.

Through public and private sector channels, the program seeks to strengthen the aquaculture value chains with whole-community initiatives to promote good nutrition and food security, environmental sustainability and adaptation to climate change.

Among the beneficiaries are about 1600 fish farmers in Embu County who currently produce 40 tons of fish annually.

The program has an ambitious target of increasing the farmers in Embu to more than 10,000.

Embu County Fisheries Technical Officer Justin Ireri said there has been a challenge of marketing fish produced in the region.

"Earlier, there was an Economic Stimulus Project that had focused on production; this current project focuses on both production and marketing", said Ireri during sensitisation seminar in Embu.