REGIONAL RESEARCH

KENYA RESEARCH

Objectives

1) To collaborate with local fish farmers in the testing of technologies developed through PD/A CRSP research.
2) To demonstrate improved management techniques to extension officers and farmers.
3) To teach simple methods for evaluating costs and benefits to farmers and extension agents.

Significance
Fish farmers throughout Kenya, as well as the extension agents who serve them, suffer from a lack of information about good pond management practices and technology alternatives that may be available to them. Some of the major consequences of this are that many current farmers do not achieve good fish production in their ponds, other farmers become “inactive,” and potential farmers avoid going into fish culture because its profitability has not been convincingly demonstrated to them. These and other factors combine to result in typical low productivity from Kenyan fish ponds.

Once current production practices and on-farm conditions are known, research conducted by the PD/A CRSP at Sagana Fish Farm or other research centers helps to identify alternative management practices and technologies that may be suitable in the region, but it cannot be assumed that results obtained under controlled experimental conditions are directly transferable to the farm. On-farm testing is therefore a logical step in transferring research-based technologies to the farm. On-farm testing of various alternatives allows farmers to assess their costs and benefits under local conditions as well as to receive instruction and training in basic pond management skills. The conduct of such trials also provides opportunities for project personnel to work with and train the fisheries extension officers who are involved in the trials at the various locations, thus complementing the training they will receive through a training activity proposed as part of this Regional Plan (“Aquaculture Training for Fisheries Officers in Kenya”).

Anticipated Benefits
Farmers will be able to evaluate and compare alternative technologies tested in their own ponds, then apply those technologies that are most appropriate under their specific conditions. Farmers and extension officers will receive on-the-job training and will gain skills in basic pond management practices. Farmers and extension agents will also learn to keep good records regarding the operation of fish ponds so that evaluations can be based on documented facts. Adoption of some of the technologies tested will in turn result in higher fish production and increased revenues from fish sales for participating farmers. Neighboring farmers may also adopt the new technologies or apply the improved management practices they have observed at the trial sites.

Research Design
Location of Work: Selected farmers’ ponds in Central Province (Kenya) during Year 1, and Western and Nyanza Provinces during Year 2. Ponds will be selected from Kirinyaga, Muranga, Nyeri, and Nyahandarua districts of Central Province. Western region districts will be determined during Year 1. Farmers will be selected according to their willingness and ability to participate, and on the basis of suitability of their ponds for this type of trial (see below). Communication with extension agents and prospective farmers has already been initiated to ensure that there will be sufficient time to identify participants and prepare for the trials.

Pond Facilities: Twenty to forty ponds will be selected for use in these trials. Ponds will be selected to meet the following criteria:
1) The owner is interested in participating in on-farm trials.
2) Surface area per pond of 100 m² minimum, and 1,000 m² maximum.
3) The pond is drainable.
4) Average water depth of the pond is 80 plus or minus 10 cm.
5) The pond is not prone to flooding.
6) Seepage from the pond is less than 10 cm per week.

Culture Period: Six months or less, provided fish reach a size considered marketable by the producer.

Stocking Rates: All ponds will be stocked with Oreochromis niloticus at 2 fish per m² and Clarias gariepinus at 2 fish per 10 m².

Test Species: O. niloticus (T), sex-reversed males of 10 g, or mixed sex, depending on treatment.
C. gariepinus (C) of 5 g. All fingerlings will come from Sagana station.

Nutrient Inputs: Urea and DAP will be sources of inorganic N and P. Brans that can be used are maize bran, rice bran and wheat bran. Farmers will provide a sample of the bran for proximate analysis each time they purchase a new batch.

Treatment 1: monosex T + C, with bran + inorganic fertilizer based on best treatment of the Eighth Work Plan, Activity KR3
Treatment 2: same as Treatment 1 except with mixed-sex T
Treatment 3: monosex T and C, with weekly additions of manure/organics at 500 kg TS/ha/wk
Treatment 4: same as Treatment 3, except with mixed-sex T

Treatments 1 and 2 require daily feeding; Treatments 3 and 4 do not. Treatments 1 and 2 usually require capital expenditures, while Treatments 3 and 4 probably do not. If possible and practical for producers, bran types used will be equally distributed across treatments 1 and 2. Treatments 3 and 4 are similar to current practices on farms but input quantities may be higher in this experiment.

Extension agents and farmers will participate in planning workshops prior to the beginning of the trials. Students currently involved in thesis work at Sagana or other sites near the workshop locations will also be invited to participate. These workshops will provide a forum for discussion of alternative management schemes, including definition of the manure/organic inputs to be used in treatments 3 and 4, and give farmers the opportunity to choose which input regime they wish to test. However, the selection of who will test monosex vs. mixed-sex fish will be done at random, because it is anticipated that most farmers will select monosex if given the choice. Pond management techniques and record keeping will be demonstrated at the pre-trial workshops. If possible, fisheries officers involved in CRSP-sponsored training courses (our “Aquaculture Training For Kenyan Fisheries Officers And University Students” activity proposed for this work plan) will make field visits to participating farms during the course of the trials. An evaluation workshop will be conducted after the trials to present the results to farmers and to discuss probable causes and economic consequences of the differences observed. Farmers’ evaluations of the tested management schemes, including both pond productivity and economic aspects of production, will be solicited.

Water Management: Water lost from seepage or evaporation will be replaced weekly. Farmers will record the days on which they needed to add water.

Sampling Schedule: Ponds will be sampled monthly by seining. At the monthly sampling visit, a water sample will be taken to determine uncorrected chlorophyll a, total N, and total P. Water temperature loggers will be placed in selected ponds. Farmers will record:
• Secchi disk reading and water color - weekly
• input type and weight - as added
• pond water additions - weekly
• mortality - when observed
• expenses - weekly

Statistical Design: ANOVA and regression as appropriate.

The Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture CRSP is funded under USAID Grant No. LAG-G-00-96-90015-00 and by the participating US and Host Country institutions. Questions for or about the Aquaculture CRSP? Comments about this site? Email ACRSP@oregonstate.edu.

Disclaimers