Kenya’s Blue Economy currently contributes between US$234-US$310 million to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually, with the country’s coastal stretch being seen as a high potential economic area. A shift in strategy could unlock that potential, according to a concerned official.
By Blue Africa News
Kenya’s Coastal Development Authority (CDA) board chairman Mzee Mwinyi Mzee is challenging the East African nation’s state agencies and private firms to entrench the coastal agenda in their strategic plans.
Kenya’s coastline stretches approximately 536 kilometres along the Indian Ocean, supporting trade, tourism, fisheries, and many coastal livelihoods, according to the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA).
Mzee Mwinyi said the country’s six coastal counties – Mombasa, Kilifi, Lamu, Taita Taveta, Tana River and Kwale – have the potential to turn around Kenya’s economy. However, he was quick to point out that this can only be realised if both national government and county governments invest in Blue Economy initiatives, with the first step being embedding a coastal agenda in strategic plans.
The Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA) notes that Kenya’s Blue Economy supports over 2 million livelihoods. If well harnessed, it has the potential to produce 300,000 tonnes of fish annually, and to potentially generate US$4.4 billion for Kenya’s economy.
Currently, the Blue Economy contributes between US$234-US$310 million to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually.
As per The Daily Handle, Mzee Mwinyi identified aquaculture and mariculture as the lowest hanging fruit for coastal communities.
While aquaculture refers to the farming of aquatic organisms like fish and aquatic plants in controlled or semi-natural environments, mariculture is the specialised cultivation of marine organisms such as fish, shellfish and seaweeds in seawater or salty coastal environments.
The CDA chairman cited the World Bank funded Kenya Marine and Fisheries Socio-Economic Development Program (KEMFSEDP), which channeled nearly Sh10 billion (US$77.8 million) into the region since 2020.
Implemented by the government of Kenya through the State Department for Blue Economy and Fisheries with support from the World Bank, KEMFSED supported the country in its efforts to leverage emerging opportunities in the Blue Economy.
Running from 2020-2025 the project sought to improve management of priority fisheries and mariculture, and increase access to complementary livelihood activities in coastal communities.
Focusing on improving marine fisheries, it covered Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, Tana River and Lamu counties with a view of strengthening the management of fisheries that are a priority to coastal livelihoods.
The priority fisheries included snapper fisheries in the North Kenya Banks, small-scale purse seine (ringnet), small-scale line-caught tuna, shallow water prawn, octopus, and the inshore and creek basket trap.
During implementation of the program, it was noted that weak governance had led to overfishing, reducing the catch per fisher and contributing to high poverty levels in local communities that highly depend on fisheries for a livelihood.
By better managing and conserving marine and inland water resources, reducing illegal fishing activity, and enhancing the value of the fish products in the fisheries value chains, KEMFSED focused on enhancing the sector’s contribution to the overall economy.
Mwinyi said a new initiative worth Sh32 billion (US$249 million) is set to focus on aquaculture projects, urging community groups to move beyond hiring tents and chairs and instead invest in fisheries’ ventures to access the funding.
During the 2020-2025 phase, women and fisher groups accessed funding, bought fish cages and planted more than 700,000 mangrove seedlings, in the process restoring degraded coastal ecosystems while protecting breeding grounds for fish and crabs.
The projects led to the growth of fish production from 173,741 tonnes in 2022 to 189,151 as of August 2026, at least according to data from the Government Delivery Unit.
Additionally, at least 1,263 groups in the blue economy have been trained in entrepreneurship, financial literacy and resource management to boost incomes and savings.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News
