“I have been a fish trader for over 5 years now, interested in fish farming for a long time, but did not know how to start. Merti being quite a dry area, fish farming seemed to be a strange and risky venture,” said Amina Guyo, the chairlady of Dhefe women Group in Malka Funan, Merti South.
We first met Amina Guyo, a resident of Kambi Juu, in February 2022, during the mapping of fisherfolk groups, under the Nawiri project, at Manyatta father in her little kibanda. She was selling fish and told us of the challenges she faces as a seasonal trader who depends on availability of fish along Ewaso Nyiro river. Ewaso Nyiro river has changed its course, we stay for very long periods with nothing to sell.” Aside from that, we also have very few consumers of fish here. Our main customers are the non-local government officers and travelers from other areas”, added Amina.
After the mapping, needs assessments and identification of lead fish traders in the locality, Nawiri in Collaboration with the county government of Isiolo, organized a one-week workshop in Sagana for the identified fisher forks, who afterwards became ToTs and catalysts of change in the communities and groups. They were equipped with skills on appropriate technologies, innovations, and management practices (TIMPs) in production, utilization, marketing, value addition and consumption of fish and fish products. The intervention is geared toward increasing production and consumption of fish products, a viable and available product in Chari, Cherab and Ngaremara wards.
“Since my first training with Nawiri in March, I got a strong consistent support system from the county officers and the Nawiri officers to deliver what we learnt to the rest of the group members. We had several practical sessions on fish value addition and pond construction. In fact, as we speak, I have constructed a fishpond an 8 by 4.5 square Meters and stocked it with 1200 catfish”, stated Amina. She has been an inspiration to the other groups to start fish farming, and even gave a portion of her land to Ganna youth group, which has now, through the technical support from Nawiri, constructed a fish pond. “During the eat more fish campaign, the demo cooking was done at my residence. I liked the approach Nawiri used in sensitizing the malnourished pregnant and lactating women and children, smart couples and other community members first before the cooking demo itself”. I got invitations from interested participants of the campaign to train them on fish production and I am glad Nawiri facilitated the process and I can attest that we are progressing well in terms of fish consumption in Merti, Ukulima wa Samaki unanawiri Merti,” finished Amina.
