Kenya: Since he was a child, Albert Kaguli had
harboured the dream of becoming a farmer. At
35, he has finally actualised his desires — and
in a big way.
Mr Kaguli, who is from Hamisi, Vihiga County,
has 45 fish ponds on a five-acre farm where he
is rearing fish for export. He leases the farm
from a coffee factory that stopped operations
three decades ago and had left the land fallow.
He initially tried his hand at horticulture for two
years, but gave up after poor climate conditions
left him with losses.
Demand for white meat
He got into fish farming after realising there was
high — and growing — demand for white meat,
both locally and internationally.
Of the 45 fish ponds he has built, 39 are fully
stocked with 75,000 catfish.
He has so far invested Sh10 million in the
project, which is cash he got from his savings
and marketing and property development jobs.
“The local and international markets have many
hungry mouths to feed on white meat. I hired
experts who advised me on where to set up the
fish ponds before I started the project,’’ Kaguli
said.
His farm is 8km from Lake Victoria, and he began
constructing the ponds in 2012. He completed
the project in August last year.
“I hired about 40 to 50 casual workers to
construct the ponds, and retained five workers
on a permanent basis.
“I decided on rearing catfish because they put
on weight fast, mature in six months and have a
ready market,” he says.
Kaguli plans to harvest the fish twice a year, and
anticipates earnings of more than Sh70 million
annually, which he says would more than make
up for his investment.
If he does not increase his fish from 75,000 the
second time around, then this means he will sell
each of his 150,000 catfish at just under Sh470.
He says he has already made contact with buyers
in international markets, including China,
Germany, Italy and Vietnam, who are ready to
buy his fish.
“The Vihiga County Government is also giving us
support and we have 60 small-scale farmers that
we will supply with fish even as we export.’’
Further, the Chamber of Commerce officials
visited his farm last year and promised to
support him with the standardisation process.
To further grow his business, Kaguli plans to
install larger coolers for storing harvested fish,
and get into value addition.
“Value addition is important, and this farm will
handle everything, from harvesting and
packaging to transportation. Construction of a
processing plant is also underway.
“We shall sell our products as frozen fish to the
market, and a cold room will be set up to ensure
the fish is well preserved,’’ he says.
Kaguli spends Sh5,000 to Sh10,000 per day on
feed, which he says is a major challenge. His fish
are fed at 10am and 4pm every day.
Challenges
“Feeding catfish is tough; they eat a lot and in a
day can consume 50 kilos of fish meal. I
alternate this with fresh water fish feed that I
get locally. The catfish start with water prunes,
and then move on to fish meal when they get
older.”
To keep a handle on the costs, he plans to start
poultry farming because “the droppings will
serve as food for the fish. I also intend to plant
a special variety of grass that is used to
supplement the feed the fish is given”.
To ensure his ponds don’t run dry, he has hired
a water tanker that supplies water on a daily
basis to the farm.
Predators are also a major challenge because
they feed on his fingerlings at night. He has
employed three watchmen to curb the losses
caused by human predators.
Kaguli says since fish farming is not seasonal, it
is the best option for his region.
“Most residents have now ventured into fish
farming. It is called a challenging sector, but I
am optimistic that this will be a major farming
activity in a few years’ time.’’
He says preparation for any eventuality will be
his secret to success.
“This is a big responsibility that must be
planned and calculated. I also cannot by-pass
my county and local markets — they will be
considered first.”
His advice to young entrepreneurs?
“Engage in an economic activity that is unique
and not crowded.”
And his plans for the future?
“In five years’ time, I see this farm being
featured on the Nairobi Stock Exchange. With
two harvests annually, there will be no
difference between my farm and a company like,
say, NSE-listed Sasini. Farming is the only
venture that one can use to make an impact on
the country’s economy.”
Source: standardmedia.co.ke
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