Fish farming that was unthinkable among pastoralist communities in the past years, is slowly becoming a lifeline for hundreds of people in Marsabit County, thanks to robust awareness creation and capacity building initiatives by the World Food Programme and the County Government of Marsabit, following the devastating droughts witnessed in the region between 2019 and 2022.
According to Chalbi Environmental Development Initiative Chairperson Mzee Katelo Guyo, the project is not just about fish but surviving climate shocks and building a resilient future.
From just 15 members, when they began in the year 2023, Katelo’s group has grown to 40 fish farmers. Interest is spreading fast, with women like Hadija Guyo leading the charge.
She asserted that fish is now more than just food, it’s a major source of hope after several years of overreliance on relief food in the region.
For Hadija and others, fish farming is also a path to financial independence and gender inclusion.
She said that her group uses proceeds from the sale of fish for table banking to save, to loan, to grow.
At the North Horr Technical Training Institute, aquaculture is now part of the curriculum blending agriculture, nutrition, and business education.
According to Abudho Galgallo, an Agriculture student at the Institute, the fishpond is not just a class project—it’s a symbol of what’s possible in the larger community.
Adho Game, a Diploma student of Agriculture at the same institution narrated how she never ate fish before, but now loves it—and tells others to try it, adding that the fish farming venture could help solve youth unemployment if they embrace it.
Administrators here believe aquaculture is more than an academic exercise, it’s a game changer.
Sammy Malingu – Deputy Principal, North Horr Technical Training Institute (NHTTI).noted that presence of fish ponds at the institution gives the students hands-on skills, learning by doing.
Accrding to Kephas Juma, the Head of Agriculture Department at the institute, students are becoming aquaculture ambassadors in their respective villages.
Nutrition experts also see the potential to fight malnutrition through fish protein, especially in vulnerable areas like North Horr.
Anastacia Mutiti, the Head of Nutrition Department at the institute said that Fish is rich in proteins and amino acids, and could significantly reduce malnutrition if embraced widely.
In Moyale, another hunger hotspot, Musa Hassan Dida has turned aquaculture into a success story.
“I started with 300 fingerlings. After six months, I sold them for 75,000 shillings. Now I have 500, and clients are calling every day.” Said Musa, acknowledging the technical and material support from WFP and the County Gvernment.to make his venture successful.
From pond profits, Musa supports his entire family—including paying for his hypertensive father’s treatment in Nairobi.
Marsabit County Government’s Fisheries Department and partners like the World Food Programme are behind this transformation, providing pond liners, fingerlings, fish feeds and other expertise for the budding fish farmers in the arid and vast pastoralist County.
Sostine Wanjala, Marsabit County Fisheries Officer noted that taboos/cultural beliefs greatly played out on the poor perceptions about fish eating among the pastoralist communities.
However, with the ongoing “Eat Fish Campaigns” across the county the number of fish farmers has grown from 15 people in 2023 to over 100 residents today. It’s no longer just about food—it’s about resilience.
Albert Mwambulu, the Supply Chain Officer, for World Food Programme (WFP) said that the goal was to turn aquaculture into a tool for climate adaptation, food security, and better nutrition, and in Marsabit, it’s working.
The new fish farmers lauded the effort by both the County Government and WFP to support them in their new venture, greatly reducing their vulnerability to hunger, brought about by recurrent drought situations.
