NEWS
Fish Farming To Enhance Food Security In Kerio Valley
KENYA - Arror River integrated multi-purpose project, which is earmarked to kick-off in earnest in Elgeyo Marakwet County, is an ambitious project which is geared towards transforming Kerio Valley region to a food basket once it is implemented and completed.
The project which is to be implemented by Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) involves the development of energy, agriculture, fishing, tourism, environment and water management projects.
KVDA acting managing director Mr Francis Kipkech said the authority needs over Sh 16 billion for the major development projects which emphasises on food production and electricity production.
Mr Kipkech laments that food insecurity in Kerio Valley of Elgeyo Marakwet County is persistent and it is high time that the people be educated on fish farming production which is not adversely affected by drought conditions to boost food production in the region.
He said Kerio Valley region is suitable for Nile tilapia, mudfish, African catfish and other fish species which can be enhanced through the provision of fingerlings for the fish farmers in the area.
Mr Kipkech said Kerio Valley has many streams and rivers which can be diverted for fish farming through the construction of fish ponds and dams. The perennial rivers which are rich in fish production are Kerio, Arror and Embobut rivers.
Other streams and rivers which can be utilised for fish farming are Kimwarer, Torok, Kessup, Kilos, Embamon, Enou, Embolot and Chesegon among others.
He said: “Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) needs to work closely with KVDA so as to organise aquaculture educational meetings in Kerio Valley, as well as to make fish feeds available for the stakeholders in the fish farming sector in the region."
An Under Secretary in the Ministry of Fisheries Development Mr Stephen Wanyama and Fisheries Director, Mr Godfrey Manor, said the Ministry promotes fish ponds and dams in all parts of the country.
In an interview with Kenya News Agency, the two senior Ministry officials said the Ministry also promotes establishment of hatcheries, food stores and feed mills in the fish farming areas throughout the country.
Mr Wanyama says that there are major challenges to the fish farming projects in the country which include predators such as mongoose, monitor lizards and birds which prey on the fish species.
He told KNA that acquaculture occupies 1.4 million hectares of the country’s land mass and is capable of producing 1.1 million tones annually worth Sh 50 billion once existing challenges being tackled by his ministry are overcome.
Mr Wanyama says the sector earns the country Sh 8 billion per year and the ministry was committed o improving on the per capita fish consumption in Kenya that stands at 3.8 kg and lower that the global consumption of 17.1 kg per person annually.
He says throughout the country there should be more investment of public funds in sustainable projects that have the potential to enhance food security.
October 2011
Catfish Feed Deliveries Up Eight Per Cent
US - Total catfish feed delivered in the US during August were up eight per cent from last year, states the latest figures from the US Depatment of Agriculture report.
Total catfish feed delivered in the United States during August 2011 was 100,492 tons, up eight per cent from August 2010, and up 16 per cent from the previous month.
Foodsize catfish feed delivered totaled 92,282 tons, up seven per cent from the corresponding month a year ago.
Feed delivered for fingerlings and broodfish totaled 8,210 tons, up 17 per cent from the corresponding month a year ago.
August feed delivered to Mississippi catfish growers for foodsize fish totaled 46,342 tons, up 16 per cent from last year.
Mississippi accounted for 50 per cent of the total foodsize catfish feed delivered to United States farmers.
The other major States with catfish feed deliveries for foodsize fish in August and their comparison to the previous year were Alabama with 32,038, up five per cent; Arkansas with 7,042 tons, down 18 per cent; and Louisiana with 503 tons, down 16 per cent.
Aquaculture Expansion in Africa & Standards for Sustainability
Expanding aquaculture in Africa is not a new idea. The World Bank and national development agencies have studied its potential and generally been positive. Furthermore, although aquaculture is limited, small-scale inland wild-capture fisheries are well developed in Africa and employ over four million women and men whose expertise would contribute to aquaculture development. Prospective public and private investors should carefully evaluate specific markets, governance, and other factors relevant to financially sustainable operations, but the apparent market and clear value for Africans calls for progress.
Several steps have been taken in response to these concerns. In 1995, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) endorsed principles for aquaculture and in 2006 FAO adopted principles for shrimp farming, which can also be used as a check list for other species. These guidelines address farm siting, farm design, water use, production stock, feed stock, health, food safety, and social responsibility. Since then, several organization have elaborated on these principles in standards for certifying good aquaculture practices, including GlobalG.A.P., Friends of the Sea (FOS), the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). GlobalG.A.P. and the GAA are industry led, whereas FOS and WWF are independent non-profit organizations.
These different approaches may have the virtue of promoting discussion, but they also create confusion for buyers of aquaculture products and the opportunity for commercial retailers to adopt the most convenient requirements. The WWF "Aquaculture Dialogue" standards have been developed through a particularly pain-staking public process and, while not perfect, they are the best by comparison. Consumers will benefit from a single, widely accepted seal of approval and the WWF is the one around which to rally.
The WWF aquaculture standards apply to farms throughout the world and are most critical in developing nations where existing domestic regulation is less advanced. However the standards are currently limited to species (e.g. shrimp and salmon) that are marketed in developed nations where sustainability certification is considered a factor in sales. It's time to move beyond this limitation and to develop and implement standards for all significant aquaculture species whether or not they are exported. These standards can help companies and regulatory authorities in developing nations make domestic aquaculture more productive and sustainable, particularly if assistance is provided for training and implementation.
Furthermore, the opportunity for certification may promote development of export markets for a developing nation’s aquaculture production and help to sustain the farms for both domestic and foreign consumption. Carp stands out in this matter because no standard has been developed and yet it is the aquaculture industry's leading product. Carp made up 38 per cent of global aquaculture production in 2008, with over 96 percent farmed in Asia -- 70.7 per cent in China, 15.7 per cent in India, and 10.2 per cent in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Viet Nam, Indonesia, and Pakistan. Carp is mostly consumed in the countries where it is farmed, but a sustainability standard could facilitate export and also advance the growth of carp aquaculture in Africa and other developing nations. Also, a carp standard would inform national and local regulators, local communities concerned about habitat degradation and pollution, and domestic farms and processors that want to excel.
Food security is a pressing global goal in developing nations, including those in Africa, and animal proteins provide essential nutrition. Sustaining sea life is also a global goal, both for the food it provides and for many other economic and aesthetic values. Global aquaculture will serve both goals if expanded in Africa and managed sustainably wherever practiced.