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Demographic and Socioeconomic Characteristics of Fish Farmers and their Effects on Fish Farming Management Practices in Kakamega County, Kenya

Fish farming in Kakamega County, Kenya faces the challenges of underinvestment and poor management, which often results in low yields. Many farmers have shied away from investing in fish farming and some who have tried fish farming have later on abandoned their fishponds. This study determined the relationship between the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of fish farmers and fish farming management practices in Kakamega County, Kenya. The study focused in Lugari, Lurambi and Khwisero sub-counties in Kakamega County, Kenya. The main study population was fish farmers in fish farming households. The correlational research design was used. The study employed multi-stage random sampling of fish farms. The results were that male members of the society dominate fish farming in Kakamega County. A Chi-square test (χ21, 0.05 = 9.19, p = 0.031) of independence showed that the ownership of the fishponds by women and land tenure are significantly (p < 0.05) related implying that ownership of the fishponds by women depends on whether the women also own the land. Many of these households represented by 20.31 % (n = 77) have 7 members and with this large number of people, they are likely to use family labour at their fish farms and this reduces production cost. The study concluded that demographic and socio-economic characteristics of fish farmers in Kakamega County affect the application of fish farming management practices since they involve the interactions of people and psychological and situational factors and therefore determine investment patterns in the fisheries sub-sector. They also influence fish farmers’ response to changes in technology and affect participation in fish farming development. The study recommended the need to strengthen the capacity of fish farmers irrespective of their demographic and socioeconomic status and the need to promote an overall enabling environment in order to increase their response to technological changes and participation in the development in fish farming.