Mary and Damaris: Turning a market gap into a thriving fish farming business

Driven by a shared vision to address the existing market gap in aquaculture and mariculture products in Kilifi County, two friends, Damaris Mukuhi and Mary Wambui, founded The Daily Catch Farm. Their venture was born out of a clear need: the local market lacked a consistent and sustainable supply of aquaculture and mariculture products.

Damaris and Mary are among a new generation of young Kenyan entrepreneurs to grow their aquaculture businesses through the Youth in Sustainable Aquaculture (YISA) programme. Farm Africa and the Mastercard Foundation are working with young women and men across Kenya to build a thriving sustainable aquaculture sector.

With the vision of making aquaculture and mariculture products available in the markets, the Daily Catch was founded with a vision to develop a farm-to-table model that promotes sustainable aquaculture while creating income and employment opportunities for young people. “Through the YISA programme, we have already begun achieving key milestones towards this vision,” says Damaris.

“One of our major achievements has been value addition through smart kiosks, where we sell ready-to-eat fish products. In addition to aquaculture, we are gradually diversifying into poultry farming, vegetable production and ecological conservation practices, with the understanding that growth is a step-by-step process,” she explains.

Damaris Mukuhi cutting fish at her Smart Kiosk at Mnarani in Kilifi town. Photo: Farm Africa / Maurice Goga

Damaris says, “Our core focus remains aquaculture and the fisheries value chain development. We are actively involved in fish aggregation, sourcing products from smallholder farmers across Kilifi, Homa Bay and Kisumu counties. We aggregate tilapia, Nile perch, crabs and prawns, which we then supply to small-scale traders and local markets.”

Acquisition of Smart Kiosk

Through the YISA program, Damaris and Mary were able to acquire the Smart Kiosk Smart-a 6×20 ft container equipped with a chest freezer, a three-point gas burner, a stainless steel table, a solar system and starter tools, including cooler boxes, parasols, energy-efficient stoves, cooking pots and frying spoons for mama karangas (fishmongers).

Damaris Mukuhi’s Smart Kiosk at Mnarani in Kilifi town. Photo: Farm Africa / Maurice Goga

“Our smart kiosk is designed to support both sustainability and efficiency. It is fully equipped and self-contained, running entirely on green energy. The kiosk is powered by solar panels and batteries, which ensure an uninterrupted power supply and enable reliable cold storage, protecting fish from spoilage despite frequent power outages,” Damaris explains.

“Further, the kiosk is also fitted with value addition cooking equipment, allowing us to serve many customers efficiently, as well as stainless steel worktables that meet food safety and hygiene standards. In addition, it includes a modern frying unit, enabling small-scale fish traders from the surrounding areas, including mama karangas (fishmongers), to aggregate and sell their products through the kiosk,” she adds.

Traditional Kenyan snack, served at Damaris Mukuhi’s Smart Kiosk at Mnarani in Kilifi town. Photo: Farm Africa / Maurice Goga

The acquisition of the Smart Kiosk brought significant and notable changes to the Daily Catch Farm business. “With Smart Kiosk, we now engage in fish value addition, including frying, grilling and selling fish-based snacks. These activities not only improve market access but also enhance profitability,” she explains.

With the availability of cooler boxes that can preserve fish for up to 24 hours, post-harvest losses have significantly reduced. In addition, fishmongers have parasols to protect them from harsh weather and use eco-friendly energy stoves, reducing reliance on firewood and charcoal.

To ensure the business stays afloat, the Farm Africa business development team has trained Damaris and Mary on various components of fish value additions as well as business management skills.

Damaris Mukuhi preparing crab at her Smart Kiosk at Mnarani in Kilifi town. Photo: Farm Africa / Maurice Goga

“Additionally, with support from the YISA programme, we gained critical business development skills, including how to write a business plan, prepare enterprise budgets and make financial projections. These skills now guide our decision-making and help us plan clearly for growth and sustainability,” she adds.

Before acquiring the Smart Kiosk

Before acquiring the Smart Kiosk, the duo used to operate their business online; as a result, they used to serve a limited number of customers, yielding low income since they used to sell a low volume of fish.

“Through the YISA programme, we have been able to transform and scale our aquaculture business. Before engaging with YISA and establishing the Smart Kiosk, we mainly relied on online sales of aquaculture products, supplying a limited market, particularly local. We operated from our home premises, where we received products from suppliers and organised deliveries to customers,” Damaris recalls.

Through the YISA programme, Damaris and Mary are now able to achieve more than they had imagined. “Before joining the YISA programme a year ago, we did not realise that knowledge itself could be a source of income. Today, I understand that training and consultancy are viable opportunities alongside fish production,” says Damaris

“The skills and knowledge I have gained can now be shared beyond YISA participants. When other farmers approach me for guidance on aquaculture practices and agribusiness expertise, it becomes an opportunity to help solve their challenges while also earning an income.” she adds.

Damaris and Mary’s journey demonstrates that the blue economy – especially aquaculture – remains largely untapped. Through the YISA programme, young women and men are gaining the skills, confidence, and opportunities to explore areas such as production, aggregation, value addition, input supply, feed formulation, training, and consultancy. The sector holds immense potential for sustainable livelihoods and job creation for young people.

Discover more youth success stories in the YISA Q4 Impact Stories report: