To revitalize the blue economy, the county government of Mombasa is making deliberate investments in the sector to harness its economic potential for poverty eradication and livelihood improvement.
The blue economy, an economic game changer for the port city of Mombasa and the nation at large, remains largely untapped despite its potential to drive sustainable development, especially in light of the youth bulge.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir highlighted the sector’s immense potential to expand commerce and significantly contribute to the economic growth of Mombasa.
“Small-scale fisheries are a vital source of livelihood for our coastal and lakeside communities, providing nourishment, income, and a source of cultural identity,” said Governor Nassir.
To support this, the county government has allocated Sh100 million to the Department of Blue Economy to empower over 300 Beach Management Units (BMUs) through the acquisition of modern fishing equipment.
The governor praised the cooperation with the national government, which has facilitated the construction of the KSh175 million Kidongo Fish Landing Site in Bamburi, Kisauni Constituency, now nearing completion.
“That would not have been possible if we had a frosty relationship with the national government,” Governor Nassir said.
The BMUs have been trained and equipped with 33 modern fishing boats to enhance their efficiency in fishing and increase their fish catches.
The boats, County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Blue Economy, Agriculture and Livestock Kibibi Khamis says, have significantly increased the fish catches.
“With the new boats, our fishermen now return with approximately two tonnes of fish, up from the previous five to ten kilogrammes. We’ve also provided refrigerators to store the catch and minimise losses,” CECM Khamis said.
To access credit facilities from financial institutions, the Department of Blue Economy has transformed the BMUs into cooperatives.
The fishermen say the boats have enabled them to venture into the high seas, and the coxswain training is a great addition to their skills.
“To minimise post-harvest losses, we secured funding for a reefer container capable of storing 30 tonnes of fish,” Mercy Mghanga, chairlady of Coastal Women in Fisheries, said.
“This way, when fishermen cannot venture out to sea due to high tides, we will have fish reserves in the reefer container to sustain our business,” she added.
To complement income from fishing, the County Chief Officer for Blue Economy, Agriculture and Livestock Roselyn Randu says most farmers have embraced poultry farming because they can get income within six months.
“We have supported farmers with hatcheries and layers so that we can have chicks that will be able to grow and get more money from that,” Randu noted.
She went on, “In addition, the department is looking forward to training livestock farmers in embryo transfer to ensure our farmers have access to best practices at a low rate.”
By Sadik Hassan
