The history of tilapia farming dates back to ancient Egypt, where tilapia were raised in ponds and canals. Tilapia were also farmed in ancient China, India, and Mesopotamia. In the 19th century, tilapia farming began to spread to other parts of the world, including South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Tilapia farming was particularly successful in Southeast Asia, where tilapia were introduced to help control water hyacinth, an invasive plant that was clogging waterways and disrupting agriculture. The first tilapia farms were established in the 1950s in Israel and the Philippines.
Today, tilapia farming is a major industry around the world. Tilapia is the second most farmed fish in the world, after carp. Tilapia is farmed in over 100 countries, and it is a major source of food for people all over the world.
Aquaculture industry in Kenya has greatly grown over the last few decades. Promotion of aquaculture started in the early 1920s as a subsistence means of supplementing protein sources in the rural areas. This was a non-commercial approach and it was promoted only as a family subsistence activity. This has however changed over the years with the government putting a lot of effort and resources in promoting aquaculture as a business. Many entrepreneurs s have now invested in commercial aquaculture ventures. Aquaculture activities in Kenya involve the production of tilapia (mainly Oreochromis niloticus), the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), the Rainbow trout and a variety of marine species though to a limited extent.
Expected Yield: Annual yield is 8000 fish per acre pond.
Growing Season per Year: Two harvest per year.
Nutritional Value: Total fat 0.7g, saturated fat 0.1g, polysaturated fat 0.3g, monosaturated 0.1g, cholesterol 41mg 13%, sodium 31mg 1%, potassium 392mg 1%, protein 19g 38%, vitamin A 1%, calcium 1%, vitamin B12 16%, iron 4%, vitamin B6 20% and magnesium 7%.
Temperature: 20 to 30oC
PH: 6.0 – 9.0