Developing Smallholder Aquaculture in Kenya into Viable Enterprises: A case study of Nyaguta fish ponds in Kisii, Kenya

Smallholder fish farming contribute to improved nutrition, incomes and livelihoods of rural\ud communities. Despite the potential, aquaculture in most rural areas is based on extensive\ud production systems characterized by low availability in inputs. In Nyaguta, farmers are involved\ud in agricultural production activities, including fish farming. However, most farmers do not keep\ud records of resources used in their ponds (inputs, and labour) and outputs. This makes it\ud impossible to assess the profitability of the enterprises. A study was carried out with the\ud objectives: To characterize the inputs used by the farmers and determine the rearing parameters,\ud to describe the fish farmers' practices and assess the fish farming cycle and to determine\ud profitability. Monosex tilapia was stocked in 300m2 ponds at 3 fish/m2 and fed on pellet feed at\ud 5% body weight. Semi-quantitative and qualitative data was collected from nine ponds over the\ud production cycle (February 2010 to June 2011). An enterprise budget was used to compare\ud profitability. Sale of harvested fish, gave the revenue or total income (TI) from each pond.\ud Variable costs (inputs, labour and other operational inputs) were calculated. Family labour costs,\ud were calculated separately to differentiate from casual labour. Total income (TI) less total\ud variable costs (TVC) gave net income (NI) for each pond. From such a snapshot analysis of costs\ud and returns, farmers would tell if their ventures were profitable or not. It also offered them an\ud opportunity to determine areas to cut down or upscale during the production cycle to maximize\ud on profits. It is only after profit realization, that farmers can be motivated to continue investing in\ud fish farming and related activities