Characterization of fish production and marketing practices under small-holder fish farming systems of Eastern Kenya

摘要

Aquaculture,asub-componentwithinthefisheriessectorisavitaleconomicactivityandlivelihoodcomponentofruralcommunitieslivingbesideriversandriverfloodplainsinEastAfrica.Itprovidesagoodalternativesourceofincomeandproteinsforruralcommunities.ThisstudyaimedtocharacterizefishproductionandmarketingpracticesinsmallholderfarmingsystemsunderanationalEconomicStimulusProgramme(ESP)intheEasternprovinceofKenya,andtodeterminethetraitsofeconomicimportancetothefarmers.Informationwascollatedfrom198farmers,13tradersandthreekeyinformantswithinMeruDistrictofEasternProvince.ThepredominantspeciesoffishrearedwastheNileTilapia,followedbytheAfricanCatfishandinsomeinstancesacombinationofthetwospecieswererearedunderpolyculture.Goodgrowthrateandsurvivaloffishwerenotedtobethemostimportanttraitsofeconomicimportancetothefarmers.Fishproducedwasmainlysoldtothelocalcommunityandwithinlocalmarkets.Traders,however,indicatedthatthedemandforfishwasmuchhigherthanthesupply,hencealsosourcedfishfromLakeVictoriainNyanzaforsale.Itwasalsoindicatedthatthetasteoffishdifferedgreatlydependingonthesource,withwildfishstrainsfromLakeVictoriahavinga#8220;sweeter#8221;tastethanthefarmedstrains.Strainsoffishselectedforimprovedgrowthandreproductionwerenotavailableforaquaculture.Feedsandfeedingmanagementoffarmedfishwasalsoachallenge.Itwasevidentthatthereisagreatneedforsupportiveresearchonenvironmentalimpacts,productivityandqualityoffishreared,andmarketingoffishproductswithintheriverineenvironmentsofKenya.