Fishermen practicing Fish cage farming in Busia County have started earning dividends from the sales.
Over 20 Beach Management Units (BMUs) Network in Busia County have pooled resources from their sale proceeds to offer scholarships to 214 form one students.
Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong launched the program at Mulukoba beach in Port Victoria on Thursday.
The program saw each student receive Sh7,000 from Sh1.5million ploughed back from proceeds of fish cage farming in Lake Victoria.
BMU Network chairman Sylvester Kaiywa said the number of recipients will increase to 462 in 2021, 710 in 2022 and 958 in 2023.
He added that the objective of the program is to provide alternative livelihoods and help reduce over-fishing in the Lake.
Other benefits include improving literacy levels of the fishing community, enhance fish production, and help in elimination of illegal fishing.
The fishermen lauded the Governor and his administration for creating an enabling environment for them and for offering them grants to purchase and manage cages.
The Governor said his government will help increase fish production in the county.
On the other hand, Agriculture Executive Moses Osia lauded BMUs for setting an example that other neighboring counties are coming to benchmark on.
Bunyala West MCA Taabu Were thanked the Governor for allocating Sh15m to Fish Cage Farming.
He said that a further Sh15m has been set aside in the current financial year to add fish cages.