The Government of Kenya has been placing increasing emphasis on regional balance in the country's socio-economic development. As a main organizational strategy for regional development, the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) was established in 1979 by an Act of Parliament (LBDA - Act - Laws of Kenya, Chapter 422 Rev. 1980). The principal objective of the Authority is to plan, co-ordinate and to implement development projects in the Lake Victoria catchment area belonging to Kenya (LBDA Master Plan Study 1987).
The LBDA region is one of the most densely populated parts of Kenya as it accounts for 40% of the country's total population. It is bordered by the Republic of Uganda in the North, Lake Victoria in the west, United Republic of Tanzania in the South, and Rift Valley Province in the East. It lies between latitude 1 deg.16sec.N and 1deg.54sec.S, and longitude 33deg.55sec.E and 35deg.51sec.E.
The LBDA region covers a total 47,709 m2 (exclusive of the Kenyan part of Lake Victoria). It accounts for about 8.4% of the total land area of Kenya (571,416 m2). It encompasses the entire catchment areas of all the rivers draining into Lake Victoria, the largest freshwater lake in Africa and the second largest in the world. The major rivers draining into the lake are eight: Sio, Nzoia, Nyando, Yala, Sondu, Awach, Kuja and Mara. The first seven rivers flow directly into the Kenya waters of Lake Victoria, while the eighth - Mara River, originates from the Kenya soil but flows directly into the Tanzanian waters of Lake Victoria.
Administratively, the region covers all the districts of Nyanza and Western Provinces, and Kericho, Bomet and Nandi districts in Rift Valley Province. The districts in Nyanza Province are: Kisumu, Kisii, Migori, Nyamira, Homa Bay, Siaya, Kuria: while those in Western Province are: Kakamega, Vihiga, Bungoma, Busia and Mt Elgon. The districts are further divided into divisions, locations and sub-locations.
Project KEN/86/027 - “Development of Small Scale Fish Farming in the Lake Basin Area - Phase II” (DSSFFP) began in 1988 and ended in March 1995. UNDP and BSF were the funding agencies, FAO was the executing agency while LBDA was the implementing agency. The principal development objectives of this project the sustained production of at least 320t/yr of fish from fish farming in the region, with further long term increases in production. One component of this was to extend credit facilities to progressive fish farmers in the Lake Basin Region through a revolving fund.
The Lake Basin Region has a high potential for fish farming because of the soils and abundant water resources (streams, springs, swamps and rivers) in most parts of the region. Most soils in the region are well drained and volcanic, with clay / loamy soils common at the valley bottoms.
The region experiences two rainy seasons in a year, i.e., long rains between April-May, and short rains between September-October. The annual rainfall ranges from 1500 to 2000mm, with higher areas like Kericho and Nandi Districts getting even higher rainfall. The temperatures range between 14deg.C to 32deg.C, which is within the range of temperatures conductive for fish farming.
There are 3188 farmers owning 4382 ponds in the region. This represents a total area of about 60 hectares of pond water surface. Their fish farming experience ranges from 1–34 years. Majority of the fish ponds or farms are individual-owned, though a few are owned by either Women Groups, Youth Groups, Self Help Groups or Institutions. The average pond size is 170 m2. Table 1 indicates the number of active farmers and ponds on data base as at September 1994.
Table 1 - Number of Active Farmers and Ponds on Data Base
| DISTRICT | NO. OF FARMERS | NO. OF PONDS | TOTAL AREA m2 | AVERAGE POND POND SIZE (m2) |
| VIHIGA | 310 | 336 | 58291 | 174 |
| SIAYA | 241 | 372 | 43620 | 160 |
| NYAMIRA | 387 | 469 | 61841 | 135 |
| MIGORI | 344 | 579 | 43336 | 157 |
| KISUMU | 245 | 430 | 65759 | 252 |
| BUNGOMA | 403 | 554 | 91990 | 166 |
| BUSIA | 216 | 311 | 54580 | 175 |
| HOMA BAY | 146 | 197 | 33815 | 173 |
| KAKAMEGA | 330 | 439 | 71429 | 163 |
| KISII | 566 | 695 | 82492 | 119 |
| TOTALS | 3188 | 4382 | 607153 |
Source: LBDA Fish Farming Data Base (1994).
Most of the farmers produce Oreochromis nilotica (Tilapia nilotica) with exception to a few farmers in the highland areas who produce Tilapia zilli. In 1993, the project introduced Clarias gariepinus (African Catfish) especially to beneficiaries of the Credit Scheme. About 300 farmers practise polyculture of tilapia and clarias.
The standard stocking density applied is 2 fingerlings per m2, with most farmers practising mixed stocking as opposed to monosex stocking. The feeding regimes employed by fish farmers within the region are semi-intensive, fish growth being dependant upon a combination of natural pond food organisms (resulting from the fertilization of ponds with animal manure or more rarely chemical fertilizers) and the use of external supplementary feeds. The production cycle varies from 6 months to 2 years as most farmers would like to harvest their ponds when it is convenient. The yield ranges from 2t/ha/yr to 4.8t/ha/yr.
Fish is either produced by the farmers for self-consumption or for sale. Sale prices of fish vary from one harvest to the next (KSh 10/kg - KSh 80/kg). They also vary considerably from one district to another.
From 1988–1992, fish farming was undertaken by this project in 10 districts of the Lake Basin Region. These were Kisumu, Vihiga, Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Siaya, Homa Bay, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira Districts. However, from 1992 to 1995, the project widened its scope to undertake fish farming in 4 additional and newly created districts of the Lake Basin Region. These included Mt Elgon, Kuria, Kericho and Nandi Districts.
