Community based fish farming: a public private partnership with great opportunities for mixed farming
Since August 2007, we have worked with rural community groups in central Kenya to utilize idle land and unemployed youth in fish farming, creating employment, source of protein, and reducing poverty. To guarantee quality project management, our company manages the projects on behalf of the groups.
About You
Section 1: About You
First Name
JOSEPH
Last Name
NDUNGU
Website
Organization
SHAMA GROUP OF COMPANIES
Country
Kenya
Section 2: About Your Organization
Organization Name
SHAMA GROUP OF COMPANIES
Organization Website
Organization Phone
+41 795 404 114
Organization Address
Box 594 Nyeri, Kenya
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
Organization Country
Kenya
Your idea
Name Your Project
Community based fish farming: a public private partnership with great opportunities for mixed farming
Country your work focuses on
Kenya
Describe Your Idea
Since August 2007, we have worked with rural community groups in central Kenya to utilize idle land and unemployed youth in fish farming, creating employment, source of protein, and reducing poverty. To guarantee quality project management, our company manages the projects on behalf of the groups.
Website URL
Innovation
What makes your idea unique?
The community fish farming projects are using privately owned land. Members of the groups include the poor and potential investors. A private company does all management of projects in collaboration with group committees, including marketing of the produce, ensuring quality project management and sustainability. Poor unemployed youth, who are also members of the groups, make the fish ponds, thus earning income. By working closely with government, the projects have made a major impact on fish farming policies within the Kenyan government.
It is easy to couple poultry, bees and pigs into this model. Poultry houses are built above the ponds, hence using the same area. Poultry and pig manure provide very good quality fertilizer for the fish ponds, hence reducing on the cost of feeds. At the same time, there is better use of the labour force because the same person managing the fish ponds will manage the poultry, pigs or bees. The four activities can therefore be easily integrated.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
What impact have you had?
Three community groups, with membership ranging between 100 and 400 have been established, and two of them already have fish farms. More than 10 acres of land are under fish farming and sale of fish started in December 2008. The Kenyan government has used our project in allocating funds for community fish farming in 141 constituencies in the current financial year.
Problem
The number of unemployed youth in rural African countries continues to grow and the sources of proteins in such areas are limited. Yet in many areas, there is plenty on idle land where common crops cannot be grown because of the amount of water in the soil.
Actions
We are leasing idle land from farmers and working with communities to make fish ponds. The unemployed youth make the ponds and earn daily wages, while project management and marketing of produce is carried out by our company in a form of public private partnership. Members of the group are employed by the company to manage the ponds and provide security at night.
Income generated from sales is used in recruiting more land
Results
There will be sustainable generation of income from fish sales, easy availability of alternative source of proteins, and poverty reduction.
What will it take for your project to be successful over the next three years? Please address each year separately, if possible.
In the first year, making ponds and introduction of fish was done. In the second year, management of the fish farms and recruitment of more has been done. During the coming year, funds promised by government will be used to clear some of the debts incurred during the past year. Sale of fish, which has not been high, will be intensified, and more land recruited into fish farms. In the second year, we shall diversify to bee and rabbit keeping. In the third year, sale of produce will guarantee sustainability.
What would prevent your project from being a success?
If there is sub-standard management, low government and political goodwill.
How many people will your project serve annually?
More than 10,000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
Less than $50
Does your project seek to have an impact on public policy?
Yes
Sustainability
What stage is your project in?
Operating for 1‐5 years
In what country?
Kenya
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Yes
If yes, provide organization name.
SHAMA FISH AND BACON COMPANY
How long has this organization been operating?
1‐5 years
Does your organization have a Board of Directors or an Advisory Board?
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with NGOs?
No
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with businesses?
Yes
Does your organization have any non-monetary partnerships with government?
Yes
Please tell us more about how these partnerships are critical to the success of your innovation.
Shama Fish and Bacon company is one of five under Shama Group of Companies. Some of them, especially Shama Academy and Shama Milk, have been operating for more than 5 years, creating the climate necessary for engagement of communities in development activities. Their experience and networks have been critical in the management of the fish farming project. Government is critical in ensuring that there is a good investment climate, providing technical expertise, and formulating national policies.
What are the three most important actions needed to grow your initiative or organization?
These include:
1. Adequate funding to construct at least 20 acres of ponds. This will ensure availability of fish throughout the seasons.
2. Government commitment to ensure that there is a conducive environment to do business on fish.
3. Proper education of farmers for them to understand that this is a long-term commitment with minimal returns of investment in the short term.
The Story
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Shama Milk is a very successful community based public private partnership that I started several years ago in the same region. After observation the large number of healthy unemployed youth in the area, I started thinking of something that I could propose to them, to get them engaged, while at the same time generating income. That is when i thought of ways to use the idle land.
Tell us about the social innovator behind this idea.
This idea combines social cooporate responsibility, food security, employment creation, and sustainable utilization of natural resources. I have managed to use this approach successfully in at least two other projects in the same area.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Web Search (e.g., Google or Yahoo)
If through another, please provide the name of the organization or company
 | 135 weeks agoJOSEPH NDUNGU updated this Competition Entry. |
| 136 weeks agoMoises Herszenhorn said: Dear Joseph,thank you for your responses, they do answer my concerns. I would try to incorporate those in your description as they show ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 136 weeks agoJOSEPH NDUNGU said: Dear Moises, It is easy to couple poultry, bees and pigs into this model. Poultry houses are built above the ponds, hence ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 136 weeks agoMoises Herszenhorn said: The idea and the impact seem very impactfull and easy to implement. My challenge here would be to replicate this model for other sources ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 138 weeks agoJOSEPH NDUNGU updated this Competition Entry. |
| 138 weeks agoJOSEPH NDUNGU updated this Competition Entry. |
| 138 weeks agoJOSEPH NDUNGU updated this Competition Entry. |
| 138 weeks agoJOSEPH NDUNGU updated this Competition Entry. |
| 138 weeks agoJOSEPH NDUNGU updated this Competition Entry. |
| 138 weeks agoJOSEPH NDUNGU updated this Competition Entry. |
