By Cheki Abuje
Aquaculture industry players
attending an SPS/TBT requirements training in Nakuru County have expressed
their satisfaction by hailing European Union (EU) for its concerted effort to
help the Kenyan fish farmer improve in on-farm fish farming through EU-Kenya
Standards and Market Access Program (SMAP) partnerships.
The players who included
Aquaculture Association of Kenya secretariat, AAK county Chairmen, Secretaries
and Treasurers, Producers, Vendors and processors made the remarks during a
three day workshop that also addressed among other things best practices,
workers’ health, safety and relations in the fish export industry.
However, it was observed
that Sanitary & Phytosanitary (SPS) and Technical Barriers in Trade (TBT)
are the major hurdles for Kenya’s on-farm fish to access the European Union
market. Speaking during the workshop, Senior Assistant Director of Fisheries
Daniel Mungai confirmed, saying the SPS and TBT requirements are crucial and
challenged the industry movers to meet the EU requirements before the country
starts exporting pond fish internationally.
Addressing the participants
drawn from five Counties of Kajiado, Kakamega, Kisii, Nakuru and Kiambu, the
experts said Kenya has a great potential in the fish industry for both local
and international market. According to statistics from Kenya Marine and
Fisheries Research Institute (KEMFRI), more than 48,000 metric tonnes of pond
fish were harvested in 2013 with overall 23,501 metric tonnes of capture fish
realized at the same period at a value of more than Kshs. 5billion.
Mary Opiyo, KEMFRI Scientist
based at Sagana Fisheries station, allude that fish production in Kenya is not
done to the full capacity. Said Mary “our farmers have not exploited the
available opportunities for mass fish production due to current limited market.
This is to avoid wastage that could result into losses”. She added that once Kenya signs an agreement with European
Union to export fish, the production will be massive.
On-farm fish farming in
Kenya is practiced at individual and cooperative levels with a minimum and
maximum of 1-100 ponds ownership respectively. Reliable sources disclosed to
Africa Science News that a fish farmer in Meru has 52 ponds, whereas Bidii self
help Group in Luanda- Vihiga County is running several ponds at its disposal.
However, European and
American markets regulatory requirements remain the biggest challenge the
farmer, trader and exporter has to overcome. The players were nonetheless,
upbeat to fulfilling the requirements of MRLs, saying the training has amply
empowered them to overcome the challenge. “We have got it right, and we shall
do it right” posed a farmer, referring to information they have received on
SPS/TBT requirements in international Trade.
The sector drivers
appreciated European Union, United Nations Industrial Development Organization
(UNIDO) under Standards and Market Access Program (SMAP) in collaboration with
AAK for facilitating the workshop. Lack
of information and information access has been a stumbling block for
Aquaculture farmers to expand the sector. Farmers can now acquire knowledge
freely courtesy of European Union funding.
The jubilant participants
exuded confidence in the growth of the Aquaculture farming in Kenya as a result
of the trainings, adding that the workshops are timely as the Country is about
to start exporting pond fish to European and American market. Kenya waits to
sign export agreement with EU later this year.
1 comment:
This training was helpful to farmers
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