About 1,000 fish farmers in Machakos are set to benefit from fish feeds procured by the County Government under the Aquaculture Business Development Programme (ABDP).

The area Governor Wavinya Ndeti said the county government will spend Sh12 million to purchase the high quality feeds for the farmers to boost production.

Ms Wavinya disclosed that the programme is being implemented across 11 wards in Masinga, Kangundo and Matungulu sub counties as a way of increasing household incomes and better nutrition.

‘The programme is also running in four primary schools through construction of fish ponds, provision of 1,000 fingerlings, pond liners, fencing materials and sufficient feeds,’ she said.

The governor further noted that 685 fish farmers under the programme have received assorted farm inputs while another 123 have been given bird nets and predator kits.

‘We have issued 562 pond liners besides distributing 232,000 fingerlings last year in December,’ she added.

In a speech read on her behalf by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture Joel Nzomo during the flagging of the first consignment of fish feeds totaling to 68,000 kilogrammes to 256 farmers outside her office, the governor said the feeds are a significant and vital contribution to aquaculture in the county.

She disclosed that three other similar consignments will be distributed in Tala, Yatta and Masinga on Monday.

Wavinya reiterated the county government’s commitment in enhancing fish farming and pledged to collaborate with the national government and the ABDP unit to boost fish farming in Machakos.

‘Fish farming is a very key sector in alleviating hunger and poverty and I urge beneficiaries of this programme to be diligent for improved nutrition, diversity and food security,’ she said.

Source: Kenya News Agency