FPC Kibos
FPC Rongo
FPC Borabu
Borabu FPC is practically abandonned by LBDA (3 FPA instead of 8). The intent of LBDA to replace the upper layer of the bottom of the ponds by clay will not avoid the peat soil to swell again and will not solve the problem.
Considering the whole situation, Borabu FPC is not and can not be able to provide fingerlings to the District of Kisii (2359 registered ponds = 40% of the whole Lake Basin). It is therefore advisable to improve others FPC's sites (Rongo, District Fish Multiplication Centre Kisii, Kibos,…) in order to provide Oreochromis niloticus fingerlings to the fishfarmers of the Districts of Kisii and Nyamira.
Many fishfarmers of the Districts of Kisii and Nyamira prefer breeding Tilapia zillii better than O. niloticus, as they get better growth with T. zillii. This is due to mainly the cold weather, and the plant-based feeding. To meet the demand of the farmers having their ponds in cold places, it is still advisable to make T. zillii fingerlings available. This can be done by FPC Borabu in the upper ponds N1, N2, P1 and P2. FPC Borabu would then specialize in T. zillii fingerlings production.
FPC Chwele
The work describes above should be carried out before stocking the ponds.
For prestige reasons, LBDA intends to adapt the main dike and the spillway dike into a road designed to support heavy vehicles. These dikes are not stabilized, made of soft material and will be quickly destroyed under the weight of heavy vehicles. It is therefore advisable to build a narrow bridge, whose width would allow the crossing restricted to small and light vehicles (Suzuki) for service purposes.
FPC Alupe (projected)
Before any commitment being engaged on Alupe as site suitable for F.P.C., it is advisable that independent pedologists carry out a study of the site.
Others, more suitable sites, should be search for in Busia District.
Meanwhile, the fish farm of Funyula can be adapted into a F.P.C. (see 2.1.8.).
Funyula fishfarm
Although the Funyula fish-farm is in bad condition of maintenance, it can be easily improved with the assistance of the project. The District Field Officer (Fisheries Department) is willing to co-operate with the LBDA in order to rehabilitate the Centre.
An agreement should be made between the Fisheries Department and LBDA to achieve that rehabilitation.
District fish multiplication centre Kisii
that Centre could be a good alternative to the uneffectivness of FPC Borabu.
So far, the Project should encourage the Fisheries Department by providing technical advices and supplies.
General recommendations.
The number and the relative % of the ponds in each District is as below (registered in 1987: office memo P. Vincke 30/3/88
| District: | Number of ponds: | % |
| Kisumu | 231 | 4 |
| Siaya | 321 | 6 |
| South Nyanza | 571 | 10 |
| Kisii | 2359 | 41 |
| Kakamega | 1084 | 19 |
| Bungoma | 690 | 12 |
| Busia | 440 | 8 |
| Total: | 5696 | 100 |
As a result, the largest FPC (Kibos) will cover 4% of the ponds, and the less effective (Borabu) should cover 41% of ponds.
It is therefore recommended to redistribute the duties of each F.P.C. in order to find a better balance.
We can propose the following distribution to be effective when all F.P.C.'s, existing and to build, will be operating:
FPC Kibos, providing the Districts Kisumu (4%) + Kakamega (19%) = 23% ponds
FPC Chwele, providing the District Bungoma (12%);
FPC Rongo, providing the District South-Nyanza (10%);
1 new FPC, providing the Districts Busia (8%) + Siaya (6%) = 14% ponds;
2 new FPC's, providing the 2 Districts Kisii + Nyamira = 41% (the District of Kisii has been divided into 2 Districts: Kisii + Nyamira).
It can be noticed that the number of new FPC's to build is not changed.
Meanwhile, the (soon to be) operating FPC's can provide the fingerlings to the differents Districts:
FPC Kibos, providing the Districts of: Kisumu, Kakamega, Siaya, North part Kisii;
FPC Chwele, providing the Districts of Bungoma and Busia;
FPC Rongo, providing the Districts of South-Nyanza and the South part of Kisii;
FPC Borabu and District Fish Multipl. Centre, providing the Districts of Nyamira and central Kisii.
Funyula fish-farm can also assist the District of Busia.
It is therefore important to aim first at the rehabilitation of the existing FPC's and of the fish-farms to be turned into FPC's, before building new ones.
It is also important that the operating FPC's, at present converted into table-size fish production centres (most of the centres have only one small fry production pond) be turned back into Fish fry production centres.
There is actually a strong demand from the fish-farmers to get monosex fingerlings from the FPC's. As they agree to pay more for monosex, the FPC's can also manage to produce more male fingerlings (now, the selling price of monosex is the same as the selling price of mixed fry).
All the FPC's should be completely drained and the brood-stock renewed. The new broodstock must be properly selected, from Lake Victoria, in order to avoid the introduction of hybrids or other species.
In addition to Oreochromis niloticus, pure breed of Tilapia zillii should be reared in those FPC's providing fingerlings to the coldest ponds of Kisii and Nyamira Districts.
To avoid the repetition of badly designed FPC's (cf. Borabu), it is highly advisable that an independent consultant expresses his opinion on the LBDA proposed sites.
In order to reach a good financial balance, the management of the FPC's must be revised, including: good book-keeping, higher selling price for monosex fingerlings, selling price per piece and not per kg, table-size fish selling price adapted to the market prices, better balance in personnel (18 FPA's in Kibos!), increase of production.
Some responsibility in FPC's management should be given to the U.N. volunteers (Districts FPC's) and to the FAO/CTA (Kibos FPC).
LBDA intents to make intensive use of poisons in order to destroy the frogs and the moles in the FPC's. That method, dangerous both for fish and for men consuming the fish because of the retentivity of the poison, must be strongly avoided.
Each of the eight Districts are already provided with a District Field Coordinator.
The DFCs' mobility must be improved by repairing the five motorcycles and by providing three motorcycles to the DFCs of Kakamega, Nyamira and Kisumu. The DFCs are advised to insure a closer supervision of the FFEs activities, and to be more often in the field instead of staying it the offices.
The distribution of the 53 in-service Fish Farming Extensionists (FFE) and Assistant Fish Farming Extensionist (FFEA) is completely unbalanced as it can be seen in annex A.1.2.2.
For instance, the FFE of Bosongo Division (Kisii District) has over 400 ponds to survey in the hills, while in Kisumu Districts there are 10 FFE/FFEA for 231 ponds, including one FFE who has zero pond to survey. On the other hand, some important Division are not survey by any FFE (Manga Division 400 ponds, Nyamira Division 300 ponds, Tongaren Division 100 ponds).
To improve the production of the fish-farms, the following actions must be undertaken:
