Kwania leaders push fish farming to curb wetland degradation
KWANIA, April 2, 2026 — Leaders in Kwania district have announced plans to promote fish farming as part of efforts to curb widespread wetland degradation and provide alternative livelihoods for residents.
The initiative targets rice farmers, who are widely blamed for encroaching on and degrading wetlands across the district.
Under the new strategy, the district plans to establish a fish hatchery to address the shortage of fingerlings and attract more farmers into aquaculture.
Kwania district LCV Chairman, Geoffrey Alex Ogwal Adyebo, said they will allocate more resources to the fisheries sector, train farmers in best practices, and set up fish breeding and processing facilities to strengthen the value chain.
“Rice farming is not only degrading wetlands but also increasing poverty. With the budget I oversee, we shall inject more funds into fish farming as a strategy for income generation and poverty reduction,” he said.
Dorcus Wangari, the female LCV Councillor for Aduku Town Council and Secretary for Production and Marketing, said the move would boost local revenue.
“As a council, we expect to raise more revenue through fish farming,” she said.
Solomon Okino, the male LCV Councillor for Inomo Town Council, noted that expanding fish farming would help create wealth and improve household incomes.
George Johnson Ojok Ocen, the Kwania District Production Coordinator, called for strong political backing to ensure the success of the initiative.
“What we need is the political will to sensitise our farmers on the benefits of fish farming,” he said.
Kwania District Chief Administrative Officer, David Wasike Wamburu, said the initiative aligns with government policy on commercial agriculture.
“The move to promote fish farming is in line with government policy of promoting commercial farming, and it is a workable resolution,” he said in an interview.
District leaders say the decision follows alarming levels of wetland degradation. According to a report by the Ministry of Water and Environment, about 9,460 hectares—nearly a third of the district’s 30,120 hectares of wetlands, have been degraded due to encroachment.
The main drivers of degradation include rice cultivation, agricultural expansion and settlement, leading to loss of biodiversity and reduced climate resilience.
https://thecooperator.news/mass-fish-deaths-in-l-kwania-alarm-fishermen-trigger-health-fears/
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