The County government through the support of Aquaculture Development Business Programme (ADBP) has distributed 95 tons of fish feeds to 1140 fish farmers in Matayos, Teso South, Nambale Samia and Butula Sub Counties. Speaking during the distribution exercise at the Department of Fisheries premises on Tuesday, the CEC Member for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Agri-business Dr. Ciiplicious Mukok said that the feeds worth Sh. 20 million are meant to address the challenge of access to high quality and affordable fish feeds. He advised youth to venture in fish farming and diversify in their farming activities so that they can increase their sources of income. ‘We also have edible oils, sunflower, cotton,’ he said adding that farmers should increase acreage so that they can take surplus to Nasewa Industrial Park The Chief Officer in charge of fisheries, Timothy Odende said that the feeds are supposed to produce 70 tons of fish. ‘In another five or six months, I expect to see that the farmers across the county who are participating in the programme have produced about 70 tons of fish,’ he told the technical team from the fisheries department. Odende urged the beneficiaries to make sure that they take good care of their fish, harvest them and find a way of ploughing back. ‘We will work on the aqua parks and we have markets here at the border that can buy the fish,’ he said, adding that the County government will also work on the cooperatives to mop up the fish so that farmers get value for their money. The beneficiaries thanked the government for the support adding that it will help improve their income.

Source: Kenya News Agency