Universal Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 5(1), pp. 61 - 68
DOI: 10.13189/ujar.2017.050110
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Status of Fish Farming in Makueni County, Kenya

Maina, J. G. ¹, Wesonga, P. S. ^2,*, Mukoya-Wangia, S. ³, Njoka, J. T. ^4
1 Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya
² Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya
³ Department of Agricultural Economics, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya
⁴ African Drylands Institute of Sustainability, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya

ABSTRACT

This study assessed the status of fish farming in Makueni County, Kenya in 2015 (three years after expiry of Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP). The study sampled 146 fish farmers. Based on the study results, Makueni has a vibrant fish farming activities along rivers Athi, Makindu and Kiboko with 46.6% active fish farmers. Females consisted 43.2 of fish farmers, a good indication in alleviating poverty and food insecurity. Ninety four percent of farmers practice tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) monoculture on a semi intensive system. A situational analysis using Strengths, Weakness, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) identified: Main strengths were catfish (Clarias gariepinus) potential as first choice of fish production, excellent extension-farmer contact links, and private hatchery development. Opportunities that can be promoted include public-private collaboration in infrastructure development, extension, wildlife conflict and research among others. The study recommended that Fish farmers, County officials and National policy makers concentrate on identified SWOT in order to collaboratively develop a sustainable fish-farming sector. Secondly, County government should identify serious fish farmers and increase its collaboration programs that promote suitable pond selection sites, quality affordable feeds, postharvest refrigerated cooling systems and hatchery development. Academic significance of the study is that fish farming can be sustainable practiced in Arid and Semi-arid Lands (ASALs) if there is a collaborative efforts between farmers and the public sector.

KEYWORDS
ASALS, Catfish, ESP, Food Insecurity, Poverty, Tilapia

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Maina, J. G. , Wesonga, P. S. , Mukoya-Wangia, S. , Njoka, J. T. , "Status of Fish Farming in Makueni County, Kenya," Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 61 - 68, 2017. DOI: 10.13189/ujar.2017.050110.

(b). APA Format:
Maina, J. G. , Wesonga, P. S. , Mukoya-Wangia, S. , Njoka, J. T. (2017). Status of Fish Farming in Makueni County, Kenya. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, 5(1), 61 - 68. DOI: 10.13189/ujar.2017.050110.