The county government of Vihiga has begun implementation of the Musinaka aquaculture project to improve livelihoods in North East Bunyore Ward, Emuhaya Subcounty.
The project, also tailored to strengthen climate resilience initiatives aims to improve food security by creating sustainable livelihoods for local communities
The Department of Environment, Water, Energy, Natural Resources and Climate Change Chief Officer, Dr. Richard Boiyo led a public participation exercise and officially handed over the project site to pave way for commencement of construction works.
Speaking during the exercise, Dr. Boiyo said the project is being implemented under the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLoCA) Programme through the Directorate of Climate Change to support community-driven initiatives that address the impacts of climate change while improving household incomes.
He noted that the aquaculture project is expected to diversify livelihood opportunities for residents by promoting fish farming as a climate-smart economic activity.
The project will comprise ten fish ponds, a reservoir for storing nutrient-rich water from the ponds, a fish feed processing cottage and a smart fish kiosk that will facilitate fish value addition and marketing.
Dr. Boiyo emphasized that public participation is a key requirement in project implementation, as it gives community members an opportunity to understand the project’s objectives, provide their views and take ownership of the initiative.
The Chief Officer expressed confidence that once completed, the project would contribute significantly to improved fish production, nutrition, employment creation and environmental conservation in the area.
North East Bunyore Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA), Hellam Esipila congratulated the County Government for initiating the project, saying it would improve the socio-economic well-being of residents, while strengthening their capacity to adapt to the effects of climate change.
The MCA urged members of the community to support the project and ensure that the facilities are safeguarded for the benefit of current and future generations.
Local leaders and residents who attended the exercise welcomed the initiative, expressing optimism that it would open up new income-generating opportunities, especially for youth and women, while promoting sustainable utilization of natural resources.
The Musinaka Aquaculture Project forms part of ongoing efforts by the County Government of Vihiga to implement climate-smart development interventions, under the FLLoCA Programme, which seeks to empower local communities to address climate-related challenges through locally identified priorities.
By Quinter Isoyi and Maureen Imbayi
