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Abstract
Fish and fishery products are valuable sources of protein and essential micronutrients for
balanced nutrition and good health. In Kenya, farmed fish is an integral nutrition, income
earning and employment commodity for rural households. In 2010, the Government of Kenya
initiated Economic stimulus program to encourage fish farming. Farmers took up the activity
as a source of food and income. However, where adopted as business there were little returns
(Kimathi et., al 2013). Farmers used diverse marketing channels that apparently posted
different profit margins.
Descriptive research design involving 147 fish farmers within Kirinyaga County, in 5 sub
counties was used and data analyzed using multinomial logit model. It characterized market
channels for fish farmers and analyzed the determinants of choice of marketing channel by
farmers.
The study identified 3 main channels; neighbors, direct market, traders and accounting for 49
percent, 29 percent, and 22 percent respectively. Gender of the household head, distance to
market; marketing cost, land tenure, number of fish ponds owned, access to extension
services, cost of marketing, membership to a fish farming group, access to inputs, household
income, price of fish and type of fish reared had significant influence on farmers’ choice of
market channel.
Despite the government support, farmers faced challenges of predators, inadequate extension
services and access to information. The conclusion is that county Governments and other
stakeholders need to facilitate vibrant extension services and market support to the practicing
farmers in their localities.