Kusa, Ogal and Asat beaches in Kisumu County are to undergo a major face lift courtesy of 450million funded by the Aquaculture Business Development Programme.
This informed the organization of public participation sessions along the beaches yesterday to gather the views of the fisher folk and traders along the fish value chain nodes, in order to have their ideas incorporated in the technical designs by the professionals.
Though each beach had its unique requirements but some of the common prioritized areas for face-lift among the three beaches included: landing sites, modern stalls cold storage facilities, green energy, modern fish Banda, sanitation facilities, scaling section, filleting section, restaurants, clean safe tap water, waste management machine, jetty, drying machine, smoking kiln, offices and conference halls among others.
Ogal and Asat beaches have also been earmarked to benefit from 22 fish cages, each holding 30,000 fingerlings.
While addressing the participants, the CECM for Agriculture, Livestock Fisheries and Blue Economy, Hon. Kenneth Onyango said each beach is to benefit from 150million. He therefore urged the participants to go commercial in order to improve their livelihood with the coming project.
He further advised them to form strong Cooperatives and save money, which will go into sustainability once the government pulls out after one year of support. Once the government exits, the Beach management Units will be expected to take up the management of the resources.
The CECM, Hon Kenn Onyango tasked the participants to have a meeting where they can draft a MoU including all the prioritized works to be done, then submit the document to the County Director of Fisheries and Blue Economy by Monday 3rd, June 2024.
According to the Regional Director, Fisheries Services Kenya, Madam Christine Okoth, the investment to be done is massive that will turn around the face of the beaches and increase income and growth among the people.
She called on the participants to work closely with the key stakeholders by sharing their views such that at the end of it no project is abandoned because it was imposed on them. The resources they propose should be one that upscale their business to advanced level.
On her part, the County director Fisheries and Blue Economy Madam Susan Adhiambo, called on the participants to share their views freely concerning their expectations on the coming project that would inform the technical officers in coming up with designs that would suit their needs.
The project is expected to serve as an essential source of income, employment and for growth and development among the fisher folk.
Also attending the public participation sessions were: ABDP County Project Coordinator Kevin Wamira, the area Chiefs, Mr. Kennedy Odero, and Assistant Chief Richard Jaoko, George Otieno Agwena of Kenya Fisheries, Lucy Atieno from state department of fisheries and blue economy, Okinda Bill constable fisheries guard, Sub County fisheries officers, Chairpersons of Bea management Units, Opinion leaders, fisher folk. among others.
