Michelle Mbeo ventured into tilapia farming 12 years ago on Mfangano Island, aiming to provide sufficient farmed fish using modern technology and create jobs. As founder of Lake View Fisheries, she produces 1,000 tons of fish annually, though national demand stands at 450,000 tons. She plans to expand production to reach 5,000 tons by 2030.
Michelle Mbeo, an information technology specialist who previously worked at Accenture and GE Healthcare, entered fish farming to bolster the sector and the isolated Mfangano Island community. As founder of Lake View Fisheries (LVF), the company uses 14 HDPE ponds and 18 tarpaulin-sheet ponds. Their hatchery can produce one million high-quality fingerlings.
"We use cages that produce up to 1,000 tons of fish per year," says Michelle. However, this output falls short of the national demand of 450,000 tons annually, so they plan to order 20 more cages. "This step will help us achieve our 2030 goal of producing 5,000 tons of mature fish per year," she reveals.
LVF employs 18 permanent staff and 33 casual workers, with 66% being women. Since 2021-2022, they have invested in RAS technology, which controls temperature and streamlines production, allowing fish to reach markets in 6-8 months instead of 10-12. They train 1,200 farmers, connecting them to input suppliers and buyers.
Challenges include high generator fuel costs and expensive preservation equipment like special coolers. Feed accounts for 65% of costs, sourced from Tunga Feeds, with nets from Monasa Nets. Mature fish are sold through eight LVF shops, schools, and social events. Over the next five years, they aim to access international markets.
