• Mwamba said the usage of azolla has reduced his feeding expenses by nearly half, with double profits.
• Azolla is a good substitute for protein from costly sources such as fish oil and fish meal
Image: FILE
A fish farmer in Migori has opted for aquatic azolla, a natural feed that is highly nutritious and rich in protein.
Azolla is an aquatic fern containing between 20 and 30 per cent protein. It also has essential amino acids and minerals, making it one of the best feeds compared to commercial ones.
Samora Mwamba, a farmer from Nyakwarasana Aqua Farm in Suna West, Migori, said he has been using azolla to feed his tilapia and catfish.
Mwamba, a beneficiary of the Aquaculture Business Development Programme, said the usage of azolla has reduced his feeding expenses by nearly half, with double profits.
ABDP has been supporting smallholder fish farmers to improve production.
The farmer, who owns 10 fish ponds, each with a capacity of producing between 500 and 600 kilos, depending on the type of fish, said the use of azolla has increased his productivity, which initially used to be between 300 and 400 kilos per pond.
He said azolla is a good substitute for protein from costly sources such as fish oil and fish meal that are heavily dependent on the feeding behaviours of the fish species.
Mwamba said one of the biggest challenges in fish farming is the high costs of commercial feed, which makes it an expensive affair, especially for small-scale fish farmers.
He said azolla is the cheapest form of feed and only requires a small pond and organic manure for its growth.
The plant can produce nine tonnes of protein per hectare of pond per year.
Azolla matures in three weeks and can be harvested forever.
“I am encouraging small-scale farmers to embrace the growth of azolla to reduce their commercial feed dependency and realise meaningful profits,” Mwamba said.
He urged fish farmers with azolla to be keen on the growth rate of the aquatic plant, adding that any reduction in quantity should be boosted with organic mature.
Mwamba said when harvesting azolla, a farmer should only harvest a quarter of the pond, then spread the rest to cover the entire pond to ensure continuity.
The advantage of azolla is its ability to be harvested daily, which helps to save on the additional costs of fish feed.
According to the Journal of Materials and Environmental Science (2022), fish fed with azolla showed comparatively more weight gain and a greater increase in length.
The journal noted that the body protein content was highest in fish fed with azolla.
Apart from having high levels of proteins, azolla also contains small amounts of calcium, phosphorus, iron and manganese.
Mwamba said it can be used to feed livestock and poultry, either in fresh or dried form.
Unlike many fish farmers, he does not use a spade to mix fish feed, as he has invested in a manual feed mixer that gives him a smooth mix with the required ratios.
The manual mixer can mix 100 kilos of feed within five minutes and up to a tonne in a single day, making it a perfect tool in feed formulation.
His word to upcoming fish farmers is to ensure they have small water ponds or water containers dedicated to growing azolla to cut feed costs.