App to boost fish production developed in Kisumu
Fish farmers in Western and Nyanza region will now be able to monitor and protect freshwater fish populations through a mobile app.
The app dubbed AquaRech was developed by a Kisumu based innovation hub, LakeHub and Pinovate developers.
The app uses Internet of Things (IoT) connected sensors which are placed on fish ponds to monitor the temperature and pH value of the water after which they send the information together with feeding instructions to the farmers.
The IoT technology was recently launched by Liquid Telcom and is currently at pilot stage with 10 sensors installed and 5000 more will be rolled out in Western Kenya by the end of 2019.
According to Dave Oketch, who initiated the AquaRech project and founder of RioFish, a local fish farming group, farmers had been closing down ponds and setting aside fish production due to struggles in feeding fish correctly, a problem which the app has solved.
“Our sensors transmit data to the cloud, where it is processed before sending specific instructions to farmers on the timing and quantity for feeding,” said Oketch.
Liquid Telecom rolled out the technology to increase fish production in the country which declined by 17% in 2017 as per the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics records.
Liquid Telecom’s CEO, Adil El-Youseffi, said the partnership with AquaRech was a great example of how innovative IoT solutions are helping to transform industries and businesses across Kenya.
“AquaRech (app) offers the hope of delivering thousands of tonnes a year in increased fish production, putting farmers back into a sector many have abandoned on the challenges of adapting feeds,” said Adil El-Youssefi.
