About The Samaki Poa Project

The Samaki Poa project is an intercontinental initiative developed in partnership with Skretting, Larive, Lattice, and funded by the Norad.

Samaki Poa aims to strengthen the aquaculture sector in East Africa by increasing access to practical knowledge, tools, and services. The project focuses on capacity building across the value chain, helping to improve food security, create sustainable jobs, and support local private sector development in countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The project, running from 2022 to 2026, is designed to extend practical and digital learning to thousands of farmers, support the development of skilled labour, and help reduce dependency on imported fish by strengthening local production

The initiative works through three main pillars:

  • Digital capacity building:
    The partners have developed and launched the free online learning platform HowToDoAquaculture.com, offering localized training content, international best practices, and over 150 tailored instructional videos and quizzes. Users can earn certificates as they learn how to start or professionalize tilapia and African catfish farming. The platform is freely accessible to anyone with internet access and already reaches users far beyond East Africa.
  • Vocational training:
    Samaki Poa supports hands-on training through Aquaculture Academy locations and field-centered programs. These practical sessions train farmers, students, fisheries officers, and community members with curricula covering intensive tilapia and catfish farming topics. Trainings are delivered in Kenya and extended into Rwanda and Uganda to reach broader communities.
  • Improving access to essential inputs and services:
    To address barriers related to feed and supplies, a major cost factor in fish farming, the project helps develop multi-purpose training and supply hubs in partnership with feed distributors. These hubs serve as one-stop centers where farmers can access equipment, on-site training, internet access for online learning, and water quality testing