Water quality parameter data - Data to communities

In September 2022 in Kisumu County Kenya, 364 million fish are believed to have died according to one news agency, while the total financial loss is estimated to be more than 1.4 billion Kenyan shillings ($11.4 million).

According to Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), upwelling was the cause of the fish kills – with water temperatures reaching 28°C, oxygen levels dropping below 3 mg/L, and an increase in suspended sediments. here

Suppose these farmers had been warned beforehand of the drastic change in temperatures and water quantity parameters beforehand, 1 week before, they would have taken action and all these massive deaths would have been avoided

The fisheries production in Kenya was estimated at roughly 163.6 thousand metric tons in 2021. Freshwater fish accounted for the largest quantity of the fish landings, with 136 thousand metric tons. Moreover, some 22 thousand metric tons of marine fish were produced in the country alone. Aquaculture is a fast-growing sector in Kenya here

To solve the problem, We are providing marine and open water forecast data to communities involved in fish farming to equip them for the changes in climate. This data includes temperatures, salinity, pH, dissolved oxgen and also high tides and storm warnings for coastal communities  We are going to use the marine satellite data from the Copernicus satellite program and send fish farmers messages to their mobile phones with this information

We are targeting small-scale fish farmers in Kenya who are doing freshwater and mariculture fish farming. Our aim is to reduce the fish losses that are occurring due to climate change. So that they can get high yields, get the maximum profit possible and in the end improve their lifestyles.

The team consists of 3 people. Walter Okinyi is an Aquaculture technician born and raised in Kisumu a county, that is the heart of open-water fish farming.  He has been working with fish farmers for 3 years, he understands the water quality parameters that are optimum for fish to grow. Then there is Elizabeth Okullow who is also born and raised in Kenya who is has a business mindset, she knows how to run a business, to ensure deadlines and targets are met, and has a talent for speaking to people, finding connections, and opportunities which we believe is very important in making our solution a success. Then lastly Shamaine Mhondiwa who has the technical expertise in working with data, data mining, and data scrapping, building the site and technology for the satellite data to reach these small-scale fish farmers on the ground.

We have been visiting fish farmers on the ground providing them with manual water quality data (temperature, dissolved oxygen, ph) and getting farmers to sign up for our program.  In just a month we managed to sign up more than 20 fish farmers who are willing and some have already started paying $8 per month for our water quality data just in Kisumu county alone and we already have other farmers in other counties interested we are planning on visiting. We have conducted training with 54 fish farmers and 17 of those are females on the importance of water quality parameters in fish farming. Now we are ready to scale, we are ready to leave the manual testing and incorporate the satellite data, that will be providing the information we have been giving to our customers and provide them with more services, 24-hour water quality monitoring data, instant messaging in case of emergencies plus a 1-week forecast of the water quality conditions!

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In order to incorporate the satellite data, we need to pay subscriptions to our satellite data providers therefore we are looking for funding to further scale up our solution. 

We are going to use satellite data to provide water quality monitoring services for fish farmers in coastal and open water regions which will enable forecast data and warning signals for harsh climate conditions. Since we are using satellite data it can be implemented anywhere in the world, by just inputting the GPS coordinates of the fish farm and one can get instant water quality data. To promote these communuties that are reducing overfishing of wild catch through fish farming.

Our impact goals is to enable 500 fish farmers in Kenya to reduces losses in fish deaths due to water quality parameters, and in the next 5 years we are hoping to scale to other countries starting in Tanzania and all over Africa. Once we have build our platform, because its a matter of signing up and paying monthly subsribition and get access to the data, it easy to scale and introduce to other countries. 

The number of customers that have signed up for our program

The amount of money we have made from monthly subscriptions

We are supporting small scale fish farmers, whose income depend on the fish they farm and sell at the end of the farm cycle. If fish die it causes the reduction in yeilds, reduction in profit and hence reduction in income. Fish is one of the largest consumed protein in Kenya, and supporting these fish farmers whom in their business are helping the reduction of wild catch is of uttermost importance.

Satellite data, Sms technology, and machine learning for forecast data

Its skills, manners, and ethics that we look for in a person nothing else matters. Anyone from any background, tribe, religion, gender etc is welcome.

Providing water quality parameter data through a monthly subscription fee of 8$

Our business is created to serve clients (central to the mission). We will be sustainable through the monthly subscriptions and funding opprtunities

We were part of the TECA program from BFA Global and got  55 thousand dollar funding in cash and support