Ranenville Aqua-farm in Sakwa, Awendo Sub-county, Migori County, has emerged as a pioneering hub for fish farming in the region, leveraging its own hatchery and innovative techniques to address the challenges local fish farmers face. Run by Mr. Denis Odhiambo, an aqua-culturist, the farm has effectively tackled the high costs and scarcity of fingerlings and feeds—a common hurdle in the industry—by setting up a hatchery and producing over 100,000 high-quality fingerlings monthly. This includes the fast-growing F-8 generation of tilapia and catfish fingerlings, which were previously sourced from Sagana Agricultural Centre.
Certified by the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMRI) and the Fisheries Department, Ranenville’s hatchery, supported by the Aquaculture Business Development Programme (ABDP), provides fingerlings not only for the farm’s use but also to other fish farmers in Migori and nearby counties. So far, the farm has distributed more than 500,000 fingerlings this year, reaching both small-scale farmers and large buyers such as Rio Fish Limited in Rongo.
The hatchery process at Ranenville is meticulous: eggs collected from brooding ponds are hatched in controlled environments, followed by careful feeding and environmental adaptation in nursery ponds. Organic fertilizers derived from their farm’s livestock waste promote plankton and algae growth in the ponds, offering essential nutrients for growing fish.
Ranenville’s innovative approach extends to feed formulation as well, aiming to reduce production costs and boost profitability. The farm’s efforts are a significant boost to local fish farming, helping meet rising demand while promoting sustainable practices and supporting economic growth in Migori County and beyond.
