Kisumu County’s Kibos Aquaculture Centre is slowly but surely coming back to life and resuming operations to boost fish farming activities in the region, according to the Principal Secretary, Mr. Raymond Omollo.
The PS, who posted on the social media platform X, indicated that the centre, which falls under the Lake Basin Development Authority, has now become the largest fish fingerling production facility in the country, which is owned by the government.
The centre has 21 ponds and has the capacity to produce up to 36 million fingerlings every year, although it is only operating at around 35% of this capacity at the moment.
The PS indicated that the centre had been down for years, with operations at the centre coming to a complete stop for nearly a decade, but the government’s capital injection in 2024 helped to restart operations at the centre and get things going again.
The PS also indicated that the Lake Basin Development Authority and Aquarech Limited have entered into a partnership to help the centre come back to life.
In 2025, it produced 12 million fingerlings, which were given out to around 3,000 local fish farmers, representing about one-third of its full production capacity.
There are plans underway to increase production even more. The government has plans to support 5,000 farmers in 2026 while increasing production to its full capacity of 36 million fingerlings by August.
The hatchery is also incorporating new technology into its operations for more efficiency. They have an automated fingerling counting system that ensures they provide farmers with accurate figures.
There are two production systems in place, including Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), which have increased survival rates for the fingerlings to 80%.
In addition, the center is also providing training for farmers on better fish farming practices. The center has a training facility that can accommodate up to 50 farmers at any given time, while an online platform offers free learning materials with over 150 videos on Nile Tilapia and African Catfish farming.
Currently, the center employs 22 people daily, mostly young people. Omollo stated that they were contributing to job creation, skills development, and the development of Kenya’s blue economy.