External Financial Sources and Its Influence on Sustainability of Fish Farming in Matungulu Sub-County, Machakos County

Kenya is endowed with numerous aquatic resources with aquaculture potential. However, the ever increasing population is not in tandem with the rate of job creation hence slow economic growth and development. Farmers in suitable areas are turning into fish farming as a way of producing high quality food either for their families or for the market, and as a way of earning extra income. Sustainability of pond fish farming is in line with Millennium Development Goal number 1 which calls for reduction of poverty in the world by 50 percent by the year 2015 and also in the governments agenda for National Development. The study sought to examine the influence of capacity building on sustainability of fish farming projects in Matungulu Sub-County. The target population of the study was fish farmers and Fisheries officials in Matungulu Sub-County. The study employed a descriptive survey design. Data was collected using questionnaires and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The study established that for the project beneficiaries who had employed fish farm attendants, 69.1 per cent said external sources greatly influence sustainability of fish farming. More disaggregation showed that 67.9 per cent thought external sources greatly influences sustainability of fish farming. The study further found that 61.8 per cent of the respondents who owned land also thought external sources influence sustainability of fish farming to a great extent. The study concluded that sustainability of pond fish farming in Matungulu Sub-County is greatly influenced by financial stability of project beneficiaries and not land availability.