Influence of social-economic factors, gender and the Fish Farming Enterprise and Productivity Project on fish farming practices in Kenya

摘要

Fishcontribute7billionshillingstotheKenyaneconomyannuallyandfishprocessing,valueadditionandmarketingprovideexcellentopportunitiesforthedevelopmentofPublic-Privatepartnerships.GovernmentinterventioninfishfarminginKenyastartedin1921whenthecolonialgovernmentintroducedtrout,commoncarpandblackbassintothecountry.Despitemanygovernmentinitiatives,fishfarminghasnotbeenfullyintegratedwithotherfarmingsystemsanditscontributiontothenationaleconomyissmall.AstudywasdonetocharacterizefishfarmingpracticesinMweaDivisionofKirinyagaCounty,inKenya.Specificobjectivesofthestudyweretoevaluatehowsocial-economicandgenderfactorsinfluencedfishproduction,andtoexplorethepreliminaryinfluenceoftheFishFarmingEnterpriseandProductivityProgram(FFEPP)onfishfarmingpracticesandproductioninMweaDivision.Over80offishfarmersinthedivisionwererecruitedandfundedthroughtheFFEPP.Genderhadasignificantinfluenceonfishmanagementpractices.FarmersfundedthroughtheFFEPPhadlargerpondsandstockedandharvestedmorefishthanself-fundedfarmerswhilethelattergroupfertilizedanddrainedtheirpondsmorefrequently.Theyalsotooklesstimetoharvest(7.6comparedto9.2months)andharvestedheavierfish(0.5kg)thanfarmersundertheFFEPP(0.27kg).Mostofthefishharvestedweresoldonthefarmtoneighbours,friendsandfamily.Alltheextensionofficerssampledhadatleastadiplomaandallofthemindicatedthattheywalkedtomeetfarmers.Thefindingsofthisstudyareusefultopolicymakers,MinistryofFisheriesDevelopment,Researchersandotherstake-holdersinAgricultureandDevelopment.