The government has committed Sh267 billion in nine value chains for a transformation agenda in the blue economy and fisheries sector.

Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Cabinet secretary Salim Mvurya (pictured) confirmed that the investments will create opportunities for employment in manufacturing and processing as well as increase revenue collection within the blue economy sector.

“In order to empower and provide support to grassroots communities, the government, this year, has adopted a value chain approach to budgeting and has committed a total of Sh267.7 billion in nine value chains which will mainstream the Bottom-Up Transformation Agenda,” he said.

Mvurya added: “One of them is the blue economy and fisheries value chain – that will create opportunities for employment (manufacturing and processing), income generation, revenue collection, reducing poverty and cost of living.”

Mvurya made the remarks in a speech read on his behalf by Rodric Kundu, Fisheries and Blue Economy during the official opening of a four- day conference on leveraging the blue economy, small scale fisheries management and aquatic biodiversity conservation.

The conference was convened by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries (Ecofish) programme.

He said that policy reforms in the fisheries sector has seen new growth with fish production translating to Sh9 billion in 2008 to Sh30.38 billion in 2021.

Building capacity

To maintain the momentum, Mvurya stated that the government is building capacity for local communities to venture into deep sea fishing, investments in infrastructure for post-harvest management, fish stocking and restocking programmers.

IGAD-Kenya head of delegation Fatuma Aden warned that sea life is being destroyed from every direction, by a combination of overfishing, rising temperatures and plastic waste thus denying countries huge income resources.

She expressed IGADs committed to work with the Kenyan government as it strives to exploit the untapped multi-billion shiulling blue economy resources. Aden said Kenya; among IGAD member states, has huge untapped marine resources both in inland and offshore waters and called for the urgent leveraging through efficient Small-Scale Fisheries Management.