Fish Farms in City Backyards - Business Daily 09/12/2019, 16:40

Fish Farms in City Backyards

Monday, April 1, 2019 12:07

Fish farming at Wangige in Kiambu County. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NMG

The fish fillet that you enjoy every so often in Nairobi could most
probably be a catfish from one of our farms,” says Nick Chege, a 29-
year-old who has embraced city farming.

The actuarial science graduate started Blue Aqua Fish Farm two years
ago, a company that rears fish and also trains new farmers.

“We realised that farmers, especially in Nairobi and its environs, were
interested in fish farming but lacked the know-how. The demand for fish
was also rising since the traditional sources of fish were lakes that were
far,” he says.

Nick partnered with Peter Kimacia, 27, who now has nine fish ponds with
over 3,000 fish.

“It wasn’t hard for me to buy into fish farming. I used to fish in a river that

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Fish Farms in City Backyards - Business Daily 09/12/2019, 16:40

was near our home, though it dried up,” says Peter who studied
mechanical engineering.

They rear catfish and tilapia in Wangige, which they say are easy to farm
in a basic fish pond, even in a backyard.

“Catfish is ideal for filleting as it does not have many bones. You can also
have many of them in a small space. They are bigger and can grow to
around one kilogramme when mature at about six to eight months,”
explains Chege. On the other hand, tilapia weighs between 300 grammes
to 400 grammes (a plate size), when mature after six to eight months.

Besides rearing fish, they also help city farmers set up ponds mostly on
idle land, initially bought for speculation.

“Most of our clients own land in Konza, Emali and Machakos that they are
not actively using. Interestingly, the hotter the area, the faster the fish
grows. For instance, in Konza or Machakos they can mature in about six
months while they could take about eight months in Nairobi,” says
Chege.

Of late, he says, he has seen an increase in clients from Wangige and its
environs.

“We train them on fish farming, help set up ponds, provide fingerlings
from our hatcheries in Thika and Kiambu, and also grade the fish,”
explains Peter.

Grading ensures that the fish are fed according to their weight and that
the bigger fish do not eat the smaller fish.

“We visit the farmer and harvest a few fish, which we put into a bucket of
water and it is weighed. This assists the farmer to know the correct size
of pellets to feed the fish. Catfish grows at different rates and they are
cannibals.

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Fish Farms in City Backyards - Business Daily 09/12/2019, 16:40

Grading ensures the bigger fish are separated from the smaller fish to
avoid them preying on them,” he explains.

Nick says when a farmer does not do grading, he might have stocked
1,000 fish only to harvest 100 humongous fish.

The source of water is very important. A farmer cannot use Nairobi city
water as it contains too much chlorine, which is not good for the fish. Use
water from boreholes or rain water.

To start a fish farm, one requires around Sh150,000 to Sh200,000 per

pond, for an area of about 200 metres squared. However, as city fish
farming picks up, most Kenyans are sceptical about growing foods in
estates due to the uncertainty of its legality. Those with greenhouses,
pigsties or rabbit hutches hide.

However, Makodingo Washington, a former chief officer of agriculture in

Nairobi, says that it was illegal to do any farming related activities a few
years ago, but not anymore.

“It is now legal and there is a new 2015 law {Urban Agriculture Promotion
and Regulation Act} that allows people to farm in Nairobi,” says Dr
Makodingo.

But can one rear domestic animals in Karen? “Absolutely! You can keep
goats in Karen and even in Kibera. In addition, the county is now keen on
city gardening and it is encouraging multistorey gardens and fish
farming,” he says.

He adds the county is actively supporting fish farming by offering free

tanks to women and youth.

“The tanks are about one and a half meters in diameter, which have a
capacity of about 300 fish. We also provide them with fingerlings and fish
feed,” he says.

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Fish Farms in City Backyards - Business Daily 09/12/2019, 16:40

For those with extra space, fish farming is not complicated. The fish is
feed once or twice a day.

“Catfish, for instance are nocturnal and the best time to feed them is
early morning or late evening,” explains Peter.

A pond is about a metre deep after which a dam liner is put to hold the
water. The liner should have plastic outlets to empty the water.

Put fresh water every two to four days because too much algae can
poison the fish. Use the dirty water, which has algae and fish poop as
organic manure.

“We no longer have to buy fertiliser for our crops as this water is rich
enough,” says Peter.

Nick and Peter sell their fish to restaurants and fish mongers in Uthiru,
Kangemi and Kiambu.

“We also announce in churches during harvesting period and the locals
come and buy. I remember my first harvest was all bought by the locals,”
says Peter who also sells ornamental fish, like goldfish.

Catfish goes for Sh350 to Sh400 per kilo while tilapia retails at about
Sh450 per kilo.

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