The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, chaired by Bungoma Senator David Wakoli, conducted an inspection visit to Mulukoba Beach in Budalangi, Busia County, on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.

According to the statement released by the Parliament of Kenya on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, the concluded inspection was part of ongoing efforts to assess and address the challenges facing fish farmers in the region.

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The Committee was accompanied by Members of the Busia County Assembly Committee on Agriculture, along with the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, the Chief Officer, and Directors within the county’s agriculture sector.

”During the visit, the delegation engaged with a wide range of stakeholders, including fish cage investors, members of the Beach Management Unit (BMU), and affected farmers who shared the pressing issues impacting aquaculture in the region. Chief among the concerns raised was the recurrence of massive fish deaths attributed to upwelling—a natural phenomenon that brings cold, oxygen-deficient water to the surface, resulting in large-scale fish mortality,” the statement read in part.

The fact-finding mission comes after President William Ruto said that supporting agriculture is the key to lowering the cost of living, not providing consumption subsidies.

Fish farming challenges

In the same fact-finding mission, the committee noted that farmers incurred devastating losses, with some investors citing up to 80 per cent stock loss. Despite adherence to recommended practices, such as proper cage spacing and relocation to deeper waters.

The Senate Committee also pointed out the challenges facing fish farmers in the particular business. ”Other critical issues highlighted included the high cost of fingerlings and fish feed. The high cost of imported fish feed is a major burden, and there are calls for local production of feed or subsidised supply. Underutilised cold storage infrastructure and lack of access to structured markets,” the statement added.

Consequently, Senator David Wakoli reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to supporting the aquaculture sector through robust policy recommendations and intergovernmental collaboration. He called for enhanced monitoring of lake conditions, investment in local feed production, and expedited operationalisation of fisheries infrastructure to cushion farmers from future losses.

The Committee concluded the visit with a call for urgent, coordinated interventions to safeguard the livelihoods of fish farmers and enhance the sustainability of aquaculture along the shores of Lake Victoria.