The government is seeking to increase fish production from aquaculture by 283 metric tonnes annually, Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has said.
Mvurya said the increase will have a ripple effect in reviving fish processing factories and make the sector lucrative for private investors.
He said the move will create employment, especially for the youth, generate income at the household level to improve livelihood, and ensure food and nutrition security.
The CS made the remarks in Kisumu during an Aquaculture Business Development Programme (ABDP) consultative meeting with five riparian counties of Lake Victoria.
Mvurya noted that the ABDP support 3,735 smallholder beneficiaries with cages and inputs with a resulting output of 1,500 metric tonnes of fish per cycle estimated at Sh400 million in the next two years.
“This implies that greater interventions need to be put in place to reach our optimal production,” he stated.
He said the government recognises the potential the blue economy sectors can provide for meaningful wealth creation and employment, reduction of poverty and inequity and the realisation of greater socio-economic advancement in the country.
“Kenya is committed to developing our blue economy resources as an alternative means to secure livelihoods for its citizens who have overtime disproportionately relied on land as the foundation for economic growth,” he stated.
The CS added that the government is seeking to address post-harvest losses of fish from the current 25 per cent to 15 per cent by the year 2030.
“There is a need to develop critical fisheries and aquaculture infrastructure which will support both pond farmers and cage farmers to land fish, undertake post-harvest processing and value addition, and aggregate for markets at a better price,” he said.
He added that the government through ABDP will support the construction of nine landing sites in the five Lake Victoria riparian counties of Busia, Siaya, Kisumu, HomaBay and Migori at an estimated cost of Sh1.45 billion in the next two years.
“I have been informed that the Lake Victoria riparian counties are participating in the consultations to firm up the identification of suitable sites for the landing site infrastructure,” Mvurya said.
The CS said identified sites should be strategically located to serve fish pond farmers, cage fish farmers and wild-caught fish from the lake.
He added that they should also serve as aggregation centres for fish post-harvest handling, bulking and marketing.
