The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) through its funded Aquaculture Business Development Programme in partnership with the County government of Kakamega has donated 23,000 fingerlings to Chekalini residents in Lugari sub county.
Speaking in Musembe sub location during the stocking of fingerlings in the Brown dam, Lugari sub county fisheries officer Mr. Caleb Sifuna urged residents to dearly embrace the opportunity which he said will positively change their live and boost the area economically and in terms of development.
He said there’s a committee comprising of strictly Chekalini residents which is tasked with managing the project and once the fish mature, it will decide on whether to harvest and sell them to the residents at a cheaper price or will allow residents to harvest themselves after being cleared at a fee.
Sifuna said proceedings from the sale of the fish will be used to sustain the project as well as starting other development projects that will benefit residents of Chekalini location.
“We want to hope that this is an opportunity which you will embrace very dearly in your hearts and we expect after four to five years when we come to measure the impact of the projects to see great changes in the community and even at household level,” said Sifuna.
He reiterated that the poor, the less fortunate, youth, the aged and the physically challenged must be fully involved in the project. “As a result I need your full cooperation for the success of the project,” he said adding that they remained free and welcomed to seek extension information from his office.
The project management committee chairman Mr. Jackstone Tisa Murabwa thanked IFAD and the County government of Kakamega for the donation, promising to strictly adhere to the principals of project exercising prudence and impartiality for its success.