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Pic: The group's fish upon delivery.
The ten young members of the Greenthumb Community Based Organization in Nakuru county, Kenya, have set up a viable fish production and value addition enterprise through an aquaponics project. Supported by the Vijabiz program, the group set up a running fish pond and seven operational aquaponics stations, and they process and sell the products from this enterprise. In a small area, the stations are almost four times as productive as traditional fish ponds. Improved management and planning skills make it likely that the business will sustain itself in the future. The entrepreneurship training, ICT training and learning tours have started the transformation of the youth group to a fish production and value addition enterprise.
Pic: Group members deliberating on the construction of the aquaponics.
Umoja 2 is a peri-urban village, 20 kilometers from Nakuru Town, and 90 kilometers from Lake Naivasha. This is the region’s only fishable lake, and because of a high demand it is the most overfished lake in the country. Like other towns in Kenya, Umoja 2 has a high population of youth, many of whom are unemployed despite the proximity to large tracts of idle arable land. In this region, youth rarely cooperate with each other and the authorities, especially in agricultural projects. Capacity building efforts by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA) and the Ustadi Foundation, as part of the Youth Economic Empowerment through Agribusiness in Kenya (Vijabiz) project, have benefitted the members of Greenthumb Community Based Organization (Greenthumb CBO) based in Umoja 2. Our 10 youth set up a viable fish production and value addition enterprise through an aquaponics project.
This experience showed that forming community based organizations such as youth groups provides a platform for many youths to engage with both governmental and non-governmental organizations. Greenthumb’s aquaponic project sees the group rear more than 1,000 tilapia fish and grow indigenous vegetables in a small area of 120 square meters, of which 70 is the pond. This matches the production of an area of 500 square meters of traditional fish and vegetable farming.
Pic: A group member feeding the fish
The transformation
Years ago, members of Greenthumb considered becoming fish producers. However, many of us changed our minds when our first fish farming project failed, and where half the members lost their investments. The group then joined the Vijabiz project. A series of capacity building engagements followed, included a Vijabiz five-day entrepreneurship workshop in April 2019 where the group learned about marketing, management of group dynamics and business development and how to apply them to the fisheries value chain. In a subsequent Vijabiz trade fair at Kagoto, Nakuru County in June 2019 and the Nakuru Agricultural Society of Kenya show in July the same year, the group met with various stakeholders such as government officials and private companies. By increasing collaboration with government officials, we managed to receive direct support. Like the Nakuru County Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, who later supported the group with training, guidance, and provision of basic materials worth more than $2,000. These increased interactions also helped solidify the idea that government officers are interested in working with and supporting the youth.
In one month, the group set up a fish pond and seven aquaponic stations, as we started undertaking further research on fisheries value addition processes. Greenthumb then tried its hand in sale of fish and value addition. We managed to produce 1,000 fish in 5 months, and process these fish into fish fillets, fish meat balls and fish sausages. It has led to an anticipated group income of USD 5,000 for the first year. This is incomparable to the previous year, where the group lost of all their fish worth USD 300. The Nakuru County Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports, Culture and Social Services hailed the efforts of the group, saying “There is need for more youth to venture in agribusiness and the innovation shown by Greenthumb is leading the way. Greenthumb will motivate more youth to join agribusiness programs to create employment and generate incomes”.
Fish production
Currently Greenthumb has a running fish pond and seven operational aquaponics stations set up. The aquaponics approach uses up only little space to grow both fish and vegetables. In the setup, water from the fish pond is pumped to a space where indigenous vegetables are planted, which clean the water by using all the nitrate. The water is then used by the fish again. The fish pond bears 1,000 tilapia fingerlings in 70 square meters, an intensive stocking of 14 fish per square meter. Because the water is repeatedly cleaned, it is more productive than the conventional 3-4 fish per square meter in traditional ponds. There is also a higher risk: losses are high if feeding or pond management is poor. Greenthumb also sells the vegetables – spinach, kale, black nightshade and amaranths (spinach, Sukuma wiki, manage and terere) – at the local market and a local hotel. Aquaponics is not being used anywhere else in Nakuru county. Indeed, the Fisheries Officer in charge is using the Greenthumb project as a pilot for the region to inspire a county-wide drive for fish production.
At the start of the project, group members disagreed about how to finance the project in the future, since many of us are unemployed and the future success of the project seemed uncertain. Before, the group could have easily broken up. However, the situation was manageable thanks to the leadership skills of the project leader, myself, which I earned from the entrepreneurship training under Vijabiz, and to the group’s mentor under the Vijabiz mentorship programme, Demandlink Solutions. Careful planning with the assistance of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries officer – who met the group members at the Nakuru ASK show – made it easier to anticipate challenges such as water and fish feeds requirements. They also provided materials such as a dam liner, tilapia fingerlings and outlets for cheaper and better feeds for the fish, as well as pumice for the aquaponic stations. Such investments in the project was welcome to get a running start, but with the current success Greenthumb will not need to be supported by outside investors in the future: the business will sustain itself. However, the local government usually supports groups that are active and in need, and while Greenthumb may not need to be supported, the government might offer assistance because they know the work we are doing.
Greenthumb feels, however, that we could have done more had it not been for our location’s lease agreement, limiting us to the small space within the existing 8 by 15-meter greenhouse for both the fish pond and aquaponics stations. The absence of a solar pump, finances to install a larger greenhouse and the fact that the intensive fish stocking is a new innovation in the region have also restricted the group from a higher fish production.
Pic: Group members pose for a photo with Ustadi Foundation's Karembo Mweni (fourth from right) and CTA's Ken Lohento (third)
Learning and growing, together
Five of the youth group members received extensive training in fish farming activities at Sagana, about 200 kilometers to the east of Nakuru, during a learning tour organized and facilitated by Vijabiz. They visited a running fish farm, that also does value addition, and here received hands-on training on fish pond construction and management, fish feeds formulation, feeding patterns and the production of fish sausages, fish fillet and fish meat balls. They then are certified and train the rest of the members. After interactions with the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KeMFRI) at the Kagoto Polytechnique Trade Fair, also organized and facilitated by VIjabiz, Greenthumb is set to receive more training at the KeMFRI facility in Naivasha.
Working as a group helped Greenthumb grow. They communicate through digital means, making collaboration easier. Through the ICT training members learned to keep each other updated on the group activities daily, through the group’s Facebook account and WhatsApp group. They share information when only some members have attended a training, and they set up duty schedules for fish and pond management. Synergy within the group, post-training, allowed the members who are employed with steady incomes to financially facilitate group activities. In turn, the rest of the group members provided labour and worked on the various projects. In the past, members would provide similar financial contributions and participate equally in group activities, which introduced friction between those who were employed and the rest of the members. This latter approach was a major benefit from the entrepreneurship trainings. When members work together, there are opportunities to participate in programmes that are not available to individuals – like the trainings by Vijabiz. Some members now also started setting up individual fish ponds to motivate more youth to become engaged in fish production.
Greenthumb has seen increased interest in its activities, leading to recruitment of three new female members in two months, while only one member left the group for formal employment (management of a large number of people has restricted recruitment of more youth at this stage). Recruitment of new members was made easier because people could witness the group’s success, and because of the opportunities for free trainings by Vijabiz. The project leader also attracted people to the group by being vocal about the group’s experiences and vision. One of the new Greenthumb recruits, Vannesa Wanjiru, a student at a local university mentioned, “I did not know that there were so many free and affordable resources in the local government, and without the Vijabiz program, I probably would still not know.”
Value addition
Greenthumb has made a careful start in value addition activities, after the learning tour. Five group members have attended a total of 120 hours’ worth of theoretical and practical trainings in value addition, organized by Vijabiz, with a further training planned with the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute. In the first attempt, the group produced three packets of fish sausages, ten kilograms of filleted fish and five packets of fish meatballs. After the first trial members realised that they would not be making profits immediately. They produced less than 40% of what was anticipated, due to a lack of appropriate equipment. The manual processes of filleting and preparing fish sausages take up much more time.
But still, the first trial was a step up from before, where none of the members had any knowledge on value addition and group dynamics would have resulted to disagreements about responsibilities. The trained group members did take up their roles as trainers in the group, training the rest of the members and increasing the group’s capacity. They pooled financial resources to buy more fish for processing. Because these are products which are not yet available in the local market, Greenthumb is raising funds for adequate equipment through the Vijabiz project grants. One uncertainty Greenthumb is still facing is the impact of the ongoing country-wide ban on plastics, starting from plastic bags, and how it might affect the plastic packaging of their fish products as they venture into the market.
What’s next?
Youth in Umoja-2, in Nakuru County and indeed, the entire country can be unproductive and have little faith with each other and local government authorities in matters around farming. Greenthumb finds that with innovative fish farming methods and capacity building efforts by local government and private organizations, the youth are eager and willing to realize their dreams in agribusiness. This entrepreneurship training, ICT training and learning tours have started the transformation of the youth group to a fish production and value addition enterprise.
As Greenthumb continues to develop its fish processing activities, it will provide a market for fish farmers in the region who now struggle to sell their fish. As they wait to harvest their own fish, they can add value to bought fish as well. Greenthumb will also expand their fish production capacity by introducing cage farming in a larger pond, that will be harvested on a monthly basis. This will maintain a steady stream of income, and invite other youth from the region to participate in this project. It is recommended that youth increase their commitment to work together and take advantage of opportunities availed by the local government authorities and organizations such as Ustadi and CTA. This way, they can build their capacities in the different areas of operation and innovations that they are interested in.
Author information
James Maina
Greenthumb CBO, Lanet-Umoja 2 ward, Nakuru County
Phone: +254 728 156063
Email: greenthumbscbo@gmail.com
m.jamesmwangi2.0@gmail.com
Facebook: Greenthumb CBO
Twitter: @greenthumbcbo
@m4ina
Website: https://greenthumbscbo.wixsite.com/website