The government aspires to raise the current per capita fish consumption per year, from 4.5 Kgs per person per year to over 10 Kgs per person per year. This however will entail working towards reviving aquaculture in the country. Speaking during the commissioning and handing over of vehicles for the project dubbed aquaculture business development programme(ABDP) that is designed to support aquaculture farming in 15 conties, Agriculture Cabinet secretary, Peter Munya said fish farmers will benefit from soft loans that will be extended under the 14.9 billion shillings project.
The CS explained that the project presents great opportunities to over 35,500 households accounting to 213,000 beneficiaries who include smallholder aquaculture farmers, input suppliers, aggregators and processors through Public-Private-Producer-Partnerships (PPPP). The project is part of the key components of the Agriculture Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy (ASTGS) 2018-2022 designed to achieve 100 per cent food and nutrition security.
Counties to benefit under the project include Nyeri, Meru, Kirinyaga, Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Kiambu ,Kajiado and Machakos in the Central and Eastern region and Kakamega, Migori, Homa Bay, Busia, Kisii, Kisumu and Siaya in the Western Region.