Title: Assessment of socioeconomic impacts of cage aquaculture development on small-scale farmers and its policy framework in Lake Victoria, Kenya.

Abstract

Alice Hamisi's final project will be published in due time. Until then we share the abstract and a link to a poster.

The rapid expansion of cage aquaculture in Lake Victoria, Kenya, has emerged as a promising alternative livelihood for communities affected by the decline in capture fisheries. This study assessed the socioeconomic impacts of cage aquaculture on small-scale farmers in Kisumu and Siaya counties, identifying operational challenges and evaluating the policy frameworks shaping the sector. A cross-sectional survey of 57 randomly selected farmers, examining income generation, employment creation, food security, and regulatory adherence, revealed that 75.4% of farmers had engaged in cage aquaculture for less than six years, with most reporting economic benefits from the sector. Farmers typically operated 3–6 cages (6 × 6 × 4 m), generating average annual revenues of KES 2.7 million. For 40% of respondents, cage aquaculture contributed 76–100% of their household income. Employment impacts were noticeable, with 89% hiring local community members for feeding, harvesting, net repair, and marketing. Additionally, 72% reported increased household fish consumption, although 17% noted rising market prices, mainly due to high feed costs. Despite these benefits, farmers face challenges, including high input costs, limited access to credit and insurance, inadequate cold storage, and frequent fish mortality linked to lake upwelling. Policy awareness stood at 66.7%, yet only 42% had operational licences, and 40% had never conducted environmental impact assessments, citing financial and knowledge barriers. A regulatory review revealed fragmented policies with overlapping responsibilities between the national and county governments, leading to inconsistent enforcement. Critical management areas, such as biosecurity, disease control, water quality monitoring, and data reporting, were weakly addressed or absent in key policy and regulation documents. The study concludes that while cage aquaculture offers strong socioeconomic potential for small-scale farmers, its sustainability is constrained by structural and institutional constraints. Recommendations include regulatory harmonisation, expanded farmer training, improved access to finance and insurance, and enhanced monitoring and enforcement to promote upscaling and proper management of the practice. Inclusive governance, which actively involves small-scale farmers in policy formulation and decision-making, is crucial for unlocking the full potential of cage aquaculture and ensuring its meaningful contribution to Kenya’s blue economy.