Fish Farming Supplementing School Feeding Programme

Source: kisumu.go.ke

Rabuor Primary School in Kobura Ward, Nyando Sub County on January 17, 2024, harvested 700 tilapia fish weighing 315 Kgs. This is the second Primary School after St. Agnes Muhoroni Primary School to benefit from the Aquaculture Business Development Program (ABDP) under the Kisimu County Directorate of Fisheries. The Objective of the ABDP programme is to support the school feeding program through fish farming and also dietary diversity through kitchen gardening.

Other beneficiary Schools include Chulaimbo Primary School in Kisumu West Sub County and Ragen Primary School in Nyakach. The ABDP interventions comprised of predator kits, pond liner, pond construction, 1,000 fingerlings, fish feeds, conical garden and aquaculture extension services. The teacher in charge of the Agribusiness program, Madam Benter Maduke, thanked ABDP for the support.

She reiterated that apart from the project being a learning resource in the community, the catch was to be used for the lunch program for the pupils. Fish contains protein and Omega 3 that is important for child nutrition and brain development. She pledged that moving forward, the school has plans to sustain the project.

Earlier on January 11, St. Agnes Muhoroni Primary School, Menara zone, Muhoroni Sub County, harvested 278.14 Kg of fish to supplement their feeding programme. According to the County Project Coordinator, Mr Kevin Wamira, the school received support ranging from pond construction, pond liners, predator kits, 1,100 tilapia fingerlings, fish feeds, cone garden materials and extension services.

On his part, the School Headteacher, Mr Charles Abonyo, thanked ABDP for the great support, including the extension services by the Sub County Fisheries Officer. He said the fish harvest will go a long way in supplementing the usual Nyoyo, rice and beans to provide children with protein. Moreover, the project he said has been a resource centre for learning in terms of Competency Based Curriculum within the community. He termed it a successful project and said that the School Board of Management has promised to carry on with the project by pumping in more resources since it’s beneficial to the school. On kitchen gardening, he said the students have adopted the practice in each class, and some have cascaded it in their homes.