agent through university levels. The Kenya Project's training program in Kenya has sought to improve training and to provide a cadre of trainers who have extensive practical fish production experience. This activity was originally planned to include training only for university students and fisheries officers, but was subsequently expanded to include farmer and extension agent training as well.
Objectives:
1. To increase the pond management skills of fisheries personnel currently involved in aquaculture extension activities in Kenya.
2. To enhance the research and extension capabilities of Kenyan university students likely to be employed in the aquaculture sector.
Activities undertaken as part of this activity have included: providing full-scholarship sponsorship for two M.S. students, conducting a series of five short courses in pond construction and management for Fisheries Department (FD) extensionists, supporting undergraduate and graduate students conducting research at Sagana Fish Farm by providing stipends for some students along with guidance and mentorship by the US Research Coordinator stationed at Sagana, and conducting a series of farmer field days for farmers and extension agents interested in learning about fish culture basics. Progress reports on these activities have been provided in previous CRSP Annual Reports (Veverica et al., 2000, 2001). This is the final report for the activity.
Training of University Students
Two M.S. students received full scholarship support from
the CRSP Kenya Project under this activity. Robinson Mugo began receiving CRSP support for his graduate program in the
Department of Fisheries at Moi University (MU, Eldoret, Kenya) in October 1999. Mugo finished his work and submitted his thesis, entitled "A Comparative Study on the Growth and Economic Performance of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fed on Maize Bran, Wheat Bran and Rice Bran in Fertilized Ponds." He submitted the thesis to the school of Graduate Studies in January 2002 for examination. Bethuel Omolo, selected by the Kenya FD in 1999 to receive training for the Department's new Research/Extension Liaison position, began an M.S. program in the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures at Auburn University, Alabama, in January 2000. OmoloÕs studies have focused on extension methods and programming and general aquaculture; he completed his work and defended his thesis, "Feed Conversion Efficiency as a Function of Fish Size in Channel Catfish," in the fall of 2001.
Other students from MU and the University of Nairobi also received support for their graduate work in the form of stipends as shown in Table 1. Most of them conducted research or completed senior projects at sagana Fish Farm with on-site supervision by the resident crsp research coordinator, Karen veverica.
University of Nairobi students (Departments of Zoology and Soil Science) that were supported included Wilson Gichuri, Paul Bilal Izaru, Patricia Mwau, and Bernard Meso. Gichuri was awarded the M.S. degree for his thesis, entitled "Relative Contribution of Rice Bran and Inorganic Fertilizers in Semi-Intensive Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Polyculture in Kenya" in 1999. Patricia Mwau completed her thesis, entitled "Nutrient Dy
