Kenya has intensified efforts to harness the blue economy by investing heavily in infrastructure around Lake Victoria.

Among the flagship projects are the Ksh2.5 billion Kabonyo Kanyagwal Fisheries Centre of Excellence Project and the Ksh1.5 billion allocated for the construction of fish landing sites along the lake’s shores.

These initiatives target high fish production, improvement of livelihoods and promotion sustainable exploitation of aquatic resources.

According to the State Department for Blue Economy Principal Secretary Betsy Njagi, the projects that kicked off countrywide in earnest were set to transform the Lake Victoria Basin’s economic landscape.

Njagi said the Contractor for Kabonyo Kanyagwal project is already on site and is expected to complete and hand over the facility by December this year.

“We had some delay occasioned by the backflow of water from the lake. We also had to secure the necessary permits from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and the National Construction Authority (NCA) to roll out the project,” she said.

In an exclusive interview with KNA in Kisumu, the PS said the contractor was already working on the buildings with strict instructions to complete the structures within the specified timelines.

Once completed, the facility will be a game-changer in the fisheries and blue economy sector not just in the lake region, but for the whole country.

 She said the facility will house modern fish hatcheries capable of producing seven million fingerlings per quarter for distribution to farmers and restocking of Lake Victoria, which has recorded a drop in production over the years.

 Other components for the project including feeds manufacturing, a Fisheries Training School and research facilities will provide a training ground for farmers and institutions in the sub sector on modern fish farming techniques to boost fish production in the country.

In addition, the PS said the government has allocated Ksh1.5 billion towards the construction of fish landing sites along Lake Victoria’s shores.

These landing sites, she said, will feature cold storage facilities with a capacity of up to five metric tonnes per day, ice making machines and fish processing units. This, she added is expected to reduce post-harvest losses, improve the quality of fish products, and boost the region’s access to larger markets.

 The PS added that the state department was determined to develop the sector to realise its full potential, adding that several policies and guidelines have been developed to give impetus to the drive.

“We have developed the blue economy strategy, fisheries policy and currently we are polishing the aquaculture regulations all geared towards ensuring sustainable growth of the sector,” she said.

The State Department, she added was supporting women in the sector with grants to diversify production and venture into value addition to reach a wider market. To woo investors, the PS said a spatial plan for the lake has also been developed mapping out all potential areas for investment.

“We have in collaboration with the riparian county governments developed a spatial plan, which clearly states where to place fish cages, transport utilities, tourism facilities and fish landing sites,” she said.

To further support the development of blues economy in Lake Victoria, a partnership with the State Department for Cooperatives and Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), she said, has rolled out a campaign to rally the fisher-folk to join the cooperative movement.

 “The goal is to ensure that all the Beach Management Units (BMUs) that we have are converted into Cooperatives so that they are organized to attract investors and wider markets,” she said.

Cooperatives and MSME Development Principal Secretary Patrick Kilemi in an interview with KNA said his department was working on capacity-building programmes for fishermen to enable them to understand the importance of joining cooperatives, which will enable them to benefit from economies of scale, access credit facilities, and secure better markets for their produce.

 “These cooperatives will give fishermen a competitive edge, allowing them to collectively negotiate for better prices and expand their reach to international markets,” Kilemi noted.

He added that the state department was fast tracking the development of county industrial aggregation parks to create more markers for fishermen and farmers.

“When you bring people together into cooperatives, they are able to attain that marketing ability and aggregate efforts for better prices as a bigger marketing unit,” he said.

To streamline operations in the cooperatives sector, the PS said the Cooperatives Bill 2024 that is before the National Assembly seeks to address governance issues that have been thorny for the sector.

“The bill proposes punitive action for cooperatives managers who embezzle funds. This is expected to boost trust and confidence in the sector,” he said.

The strategic investments in Lake Victoria’s fisheries sector mark a major step toward unlocking the full potential of the blue economy, creating jobs, and ensuring sustainable fish production for the future.

With the completion of these projects, the government envisions a robust fisheries sector that will contribute significantly to the national economy, while safeguarding the livelihoods of communities that depend on the lake.

• A Tell / KNA report / By Chris Mahandara