State, development partner to review Sh14.9bn aquaculture project

A Sh14.9 billion aquaculture project will be reviewed to align the programme with the Kenya Kwanza manifesto, Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs CS Salim Mvurya has announced.

Mvurya said the programme, which is spearheaded by International Fund for Agricultural Development and being implemented in 15 counties, will be reviewed to target the hustlers.

“We are going to review the project together to align it to Kenya Kwanza plan and county priorities. We will soon be meeting with counties where the project is being implemented for the mid-term review,” he said.

Addressing a press conference at his office, the CS added that the project further seeks to promote fisheries development in areas where there are no lakes or oceans.

“We are also targeting areas where fish eating or farming is a new thing,” he stated.

Beneficiaries of the project are located in Nyanza, Western, Mt Kenya and Eastern region

­­International Fund for Agricultural Development country director Mariata Kamara said the review will look at ways of enhancing support to communities in rural areas.

“We want to see how the programme will benefit the people at the bottom the most. This will be in line with the Kenya Kwanza bottom-up approach,” she said.

She said those targeted will be women, youth and Persons living with disabilities. The eight-year project was launched in May 2019.

­­International Fund for Agricultural Development is an international financial institution and a specialised agency of the United Nations that works to address poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries.

The initiative has seen small-scale fish farmers from the selected counties supplied with essential materials for setting up fish ponds with quality fingerlings.

Farmers have also been benefiting from the services of aquaculture extension officers who have been dispatched to guide and train them on best practices.