A tailor-made strategic consulting session for Great Lakes Feeds: discover their cross-feedback with Halieutica
The Farm’Innov acceleration programme is currently supporting 14 Kenyan agri-food companies on their path to innovation and success through a tailor-made 10-month support programme, which will run until April 2026. It includes immersion visits in France, consulting services and training provided by French experts from the Valorial network, as well as a number of Kenyan experts.
Great Lakes Feeds (High-quality fish, poultry, and livestock feeds crafted from 100% locally sourced ingredients — strengthening livelihoods around Lake Victoria since day one) has benefited from personalised support from Halieutica (an independent consulting and expertise company specializing in the formulation and manufacture of aquaculture feed, based in France, and operating worldwide). Here is their cross-feedback on this consulting service.
Farm’Innov:
“You took part in a consulting provided by Halieutica in the framework of the Farm’Innov Acceleration Programme. Can you share what you studied with the consultant? And what did you gain from it?”
Mathildah Amolo, CEO, Great Lakes Feeds:
“I am so happy and grateful to have Guillaume from Halieutica as my trainer for this program. Honestly, I never believed I could grasp the deeper aspects of feed science, but he explained everything so clearly. I now understand that the biochemistry of fish feeds is crucial for Great Lakes Feeds Ltd, as it directly helps us improve feed quality, enhance fish growth rates, increase farmer profitability, and promote the sustainability of aquaculture in Kenya. This knowledge enables the company to optimize nutrient formulations, reduce costs, and maintain its reputation for producing reliable, high quality feeds. From the training, I have learned that biochemistry plays a vital role in aquaculture by ensuring the right nutrient balance of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to maximize fish growth and survival; improving digestibility and absorption through enzymes such as proteases, lipases, amylases, and phytases to reduce waste and enhance feed conversion; enabling the use of alternative ingredients like soy, maize, and sunflower when fish meal and fish oil are scarce or costly while maintaining nutritional value; and guiding the application of functional additives such as probiotics, antioxidants, and immune boosting compounds that strengthen fish health and help prevent disease outbreaks.“
Farm’Innov:
“How do you intend to implement the advice and recommendations shared during the consultancy mission within your company?”
Mathildah Amolo, CEO, Great Lakes Feeds:
“For Great Lakes Feeds Ltd, the benefits of applying biochemistry are now clear: it ensures product quality that meets international aquaculture standards and strengthens the company’s competitive edge; enhances cost efficiency by allowing costly ingredients to be replaced with affordable, locally sourced alternatives without compromising nutritional value; supports sustainability by reducing reliance on imported fish meal and building a resilient, profitable farming value chain; enriches farmer training by empowering them to understand why certain feeds perform better, thereby improving adoption and trust; and ultimately drives community impact, as better feeds lead to faster growing fish, higher yields, and improved nutrition for over one million people who already benefit from the company’s products.
This is the best training I have ever received. In the past, I have attended general business management sessions, but this one was truly different. Every part of the content was relevant and practical, clearly linking biochemistry concepts to feed formulation and aquaculture outcomes. I will forever be grateful.”
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Farm’Innov:
“You took part in a module of the acceleration programme. What did you gain from it?”
Guillaume Le Reste, General Manager, Halieutica:
“Participating in the acceleration program with Great Lakes Feeds was a highly rewarding experience. It allowed me to gain deeper insights into the specific challenges of aquaculture in East Africa, a region where we already operate but with local dynamics I hadn’t fully grasped. Beyond technical knowledge, the program gave me the opportunity to build strong, long-term connections with the inspiring Great Lakes Feeds team. It was also deeply satisfying to contribute, in our own way, to the growth of such a promising company that combines innovation with local impact.“
Farm’Innov:
“How do you plan to use it in your activities?”
Guillaume Le Reste, General Manager, Halieutica:
“This collaboration has strengthened our ability to tailor solutions to the realities of the African market, particularly by integrating local logistical, economic, and cultural constraints. The connections established with Great Lakes Feeds pave the way for sustainable partnerships, not just for one-off projects but also for co-developing long-term solutions. Moving forward, we aim to replicate this collaborative approach with other regional players, leveraging the lessons learned from this experience. This will allow us to be even more relevant and effective in supporting local businesses. We will also maintain close contact with Great Lakes Feeds to explore further opportunities for collaboration, especially on feed, of course, but also on farm equipment and technologies.”
