BOMOSA

The FP6 INCO project BOMOSA aimed at the development and demonstration of caged fish farming systems in reservoirs, ponds and temporary water bodies in Eastern Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia & Uganda). The project pioneered small-scale fish farming in Eastern Africa which was implemented in order to establish rural aquaculture networks (coordinated in a “hub and plot” system) to economically integrate aquaculture with agriculture.

During the poject, fourteen BOMOSA plots were set up for research and validation, each served from hubs (fish farms/hatcheries) within each of the three countries. Farmers were trained to rear the fish in cages in their “plots”, harvesting them for fresh consumption as high protein dietary supplement and/or selling fish for generating additional income for subsistence farmers.

The lessons learnt, best practices, physical and socio-economic potential, risks and prerequisites for widespread uptake of the BOMOSA scheme were analyzed in detail and presented at the BOMOSA international conference in Kenya in September 2009.