Aqua Shops Project
In western Kenya, almost 60 per cent of households are dependent on fish, either directly or indirectly, as a source of food or income. Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake and provides over 90% of Kenya’s total fish supplies; however wild fish stocks in this lake and other lakes in Kenya are dwindling, mainly due to overfishing and pollution. As demand for fish outstrips supply, the price of fish is rising. For many people who are already struggling to feed themselves, this shortage is hitting them hard.
In response to the reduction in fish stocks, the Kenyan Government is actively promoting aquaculture and small-scale fish farming from man-made fish ponds as a source of both food and income and aims to set up 4,000 new fish ponds in western Kenya.
FARM-Africa’s Aqua Shops Project, funded by DFID's Research into Use programme, will develop a network of outlets in up to six locations in western Kenya, which will provide things such as fish feed and manure, technical advice and market linkages to up to 1,000 smallholder farmers interested in using the ponds to set up their own fish farming businesses.
How are communities benefiting?
- By providing things such as fish feed and manure, technical advice and help with finding the best markets, our Aqua Shops will help farmers to set up small fish farming businesses, earning much needed additional income.
- Fish farming will compliment farmers’ existing activities as the ponds can be fertilised with livestock manure, to help provide a nutritious environment for fish.
- We're using the project to develop an Aqua Shop franchising model, which, if successful, can be replicated so that more communities can benefit from our learning and access the fish farming market.
Who are we helping?
This project will initially help up to 1,000 small-scale farmers to enter the fish farming market and provide themselves and their families with an alternative livelihood and source of income.
Project partners
Natural Resources International (www.nrint.co.uk)
Institute of Aquaculture , University of Stirling, UK (www.aqua.stir.ac.uk)
Imani Development (ID) (www.imanidevelopment.com)
Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) (www.kari.org)
Media
Article in The Guardian by Mark Tran following a visit to the Aqua Shops project.
Radio Broadcast by AgFax
Article by FARM-Africa's Director of Programmes, George Mukkath, in the Business Fights Poverty blog.
From: Helen Bailey
Sent: 12 April 2010 13:49
To: Helen Bailey
Subject: Directions to the post-race reception
Hi all,
As you can imagine, the finish area on Marathon Day is a very busy place. Our reception at the Farmers Club is a very short walk from the finish line so it might be easier to ask your supporters/friends/family to meet you back at the reception:
The Farmers Club
3 Whitehall Court
London
SW1A 2EL
I have attached a couple of maps (one below and one attached to this email). On the map attached to the email, Point A is the FARM-Africa cheering point and Point B is the Farmers Club.
If you have any questions at all then feel free to give me a call!
Thanks,
Helen
Newton's story
Newton Ndako, his wife Penina and their nine children live in Samia District of Western Kenya. Penina has a low paid job as a matron at the local secondary school, and Newton is currently unable to find a job. The family grow food like cassava, bananas, maize and beans on the land around their home, and they have two ponds where Newton has recently started farming fish. With nine children to feed and educate, daily life is a struggle for the family, and they are unable to pay school costs.
Samia district is close to Lake Victoria where almost 60% of households are dependent on fish as a source of food or income – however overfishing and pollution mean natural fish stocks are dwindling. With demand for fish outstripping supply prices are rising – this makes it harder than ever for the poorest families to buy enough food.
FARM-Africa is currently helping around 1000 farmers to enter into the fish farming business by setting up a network of aqua shops to provide them with a source of essential inputs such as fingerlings (fish seeds).
Newton has received five days of training from FARM-Africa on the most effective fish farming techniques, and help with running his business and finding the most lucrative markets. As well as providing an additional source of food for the family, Newton’s first harvest earned enough money to buy some more fingerlings and pay school fees for some of his older children.
Newton is now convinced that fish farming can provide a more prosperous future for his family and is keen to share what he has learnt with his neighbours and the wider community. And with fish farming becoming more and more popular, it is hoped that there will be less pressure on fish stocks in nearby lakes and rivers.
Aqua Shops take leading role in training fish farmers
FARM-Africa’s Aqua Shops Project has made impressive progress since its first six Aqua Shops were opened earlier this year. We have trained a further 72 farmers in fish-farming in recent months, and a total of 544 since the project began.
First six aqua shops open in western Kenya!
FARM-Africa and partners welcome the opening of six new aqua shops in Nyando and Samia districts in Western Kenya as part of a scheme to encourage farmers to become involved in small-scale fish farming to spread livelihood improvements in Kenya.
First 100 fish farmers receive training
As part of the new aqua shops project in Western Kenya over 100 farmers have already received training in basic fish farming techniques, as well as help with running their business and finding the most lucrative markets. A network of aqua shops will also provide fish farmers with access to the necessary inputs such as fertilized fish eggs and feed.
FARM-Africa Launches Aqua Shops Project in Western Kenya
FARM-Africa and partners are launching a pilot Aquaculture (fish farming) project in Nyakach and Samia districts, western Kenya, this week. Read more about this project.
