By Daniel Otunge
A baseline study using a gender lens was conducted from March to June 2023 on the impacts of climate change on the livelihoods of the fisher communities in the Lake Victoria Region of Homa Bay and Migori Counties in Kenya.
The study analyzed the meteorological data (1981-2022) and compared this with women’s and men’s perceptions of the data. The metrological data demonstrate a significant upward trend for minimum and maximum temperatures and rainfall, and respondents on the ground agree.
Dr. Rahma Adam (WorldFish Senior Scientist and social-economic inclusion impact lead) and Prof. Dorothy Amwata (Associate Professor and Dean of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Murang’a University of Technology) did the study in collaboration with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Africa Center.
Climate change and other biotic and non-biotic stresses have caused a decline in fish stocks, infrastructure destruction, conflicts, human diseases, and reduced incomes leading to increased poverty levels and high household vulnerability.
The gender dimensions of the lake’s fisheries have led to inequities. Men own most fishing boats and dominate fishing activities. Due to the decline in catches, fish prices have increased, making it difficult for women—who mainly earn from postharvest activities—to purchase fish from the fishermen.
Addressing challenges at the nexus of climate change, gender, and aquatic foods would advance SDG 13 on climate action and SDG 5 on gender equality and empowerment of women, girls, and people with disabilities.
According to the study, youth form the most significant proportion of the population in the communities, but due to a lack of job opportunities and poor income from fishing, many resort to drug and substance abuse, which has affected the availability of productive labor. Marginalized persons with disabilities (PWD) have limited income opportunities from fisheries.
Dr. Amwata noted that these findings and learnings from the multi-stakeholder workshop held at Florence Hotel in Migori from 25-26 September 2023 resulted in several interventions that should be implemented in the riparian counties to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the livelihoods of the fisher communities around Lake Victoria.
According to Dr Adam, an immediate intervention to reduce post-harvest losses of fish through the provision of climate-smart fish handling and preservation equipment resulted in the launch of climate-smart fisheries equipment and facilities on 11 March 2024.
“It is expected this will help to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the livelihoods of women, men, youth, and vulnerable populations. WorldFish provided the equipment, namely solar freezers, solar driers, smoking kilns, and fish display boxes, to 13 women and youth self-help groups in Homa Bay and Migori counties,” she said.
The stakeholders and the county governments of Homabay and Migori proposed a medium-term intervention to support the county governments in developing gender-sensitive fisheries and aquaculture policies.
Other recommendations included training and awareness of key players in the fish value chain in entrepreneurship, fish insurance schemes, the creation of a cottage industry, support for value addition and market linkages and partnerships with other non-governmental organizations, and private sector support for the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
Gender-sensitive policy development at all levels is essential. Even though global policy guidance for fisheries and aquaculture emphasizes the importance of gender equality, youth empowerment, and social inclusion, experts say women and youth are still being excluded—at all scales—from decision-making that delivers climate resilience.
Dr Adam described the push to enact a gender-sensitive policy to guide the management of Homa Bay’s fisheries and aquaculture as a critical step to protecting fisheries in the Lake Victoria Region. This would help to support more than 200,000 fishers and the livelihoods of an estimated 35 million people.
This development comes as fisheries grapple with several challenges that threaten to collapse a vital sector that offers a lifeline to thousands of residents. Homa Bay is among the counties bordering Lake Victoria grappling with overfishing, pollution, use of illegal nets, dwindling fish stocks, limited investment in fish farming, and inadequate extension services for aquaculture.
Addressing challenges at the nexus of climate change, gender, and aquatic foods would also help to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 on climate action and boost SDG 5, which aims to achieve gender equality and empower women, girls, and people with disabilities. While these three SDGs are intrinsically important, they are also critical levers in achieving other SDGs through poverty reduction and enhanced food and nutrition security.
According to Agostino Neto, a researcher with the African Center for Environmental Rights and Development, a gender-sensitive policy will enhance fish stocks by restocking and protecting critical habitats.
Consequently, Neto led a multi-stakeholder workshop to help develop a gender-sensitive fisheries and aquaculture policy for Homa Bay County on 11-12 November 2024, which was held in Kisumu City recently. He noted, “The policy will help resolve the problem of dwindling fish stocks due to unsustainable fishing practices that the region has been facing recently.”
“The push to enact a gender-sensitive policy to guide the management of Homa Bay’s fisheries and aquaculture is critical in protecting fisheries in the Lake Victoria Region.” -Dr. Adam
To ensure sustainability, the policy proposes to regulate fishing capacity on all water bodies by instituting closed fishing areas and seasons on all major water bodies within the county.
With the rise of fish cage farming in the region, stakeholders propose incorporating environmentally friendly fishing practices and developing aquaculture on both water and land.
This is important because Homa Bay is among the counties where fishers have embraced fish cage farming, albeit with limited controls from the county government due to the lack of a legal framework to govern the sector.
Floating fish cage technology was first introduced in 2013 after the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) conducted cage trials successfully at Dunga Beach in Kisumu County.
Stakeholders at the November workshop proposed identifying and demarcating suitable ecological areas for ponds and cage farming. “The County Government shall establish and implement fish health and biosecurity protocols as a security measure to protect the biological diversity of fisheries and the life support system,” reads the policy in part.
Stakeholders also proposed introducing advanced technology systems to monitor fishing activities in the water bodies to reduce harmful fishing practices blamed for the dwindling fish stalks.
Further proposals include standardizing fishing gear quality and fish sizes for market and aquaculture to facilitate enforcement. This proposal is part of an effort to eliminate underage fish harvesting, blamed for the dwindling fish stock amid rising demands for white meat.
In the region, several efforts to eradicate the use of illegal fishing gear have been a thorn in the flesh of authorities charged with protecting the lake’s fragile ecosystem.
Studies by KMFRI indicate that overfishing, pollution, and climate change have reduced fish stocks by 90 percent. KMFRI statistics also show that the population of species such as Tilapia has shrunk by more than 50 percent.
Experts at the workshop warned, “With the current decline in fish stocks, critical fish species are becoming endangered and may become extinct if proper management measures are not taken to ensure conservation.”
Dr Romanus Otieno, a researcher at Stockholm Environmental Institute, described the participatory process as the right way to protect vital blue economy resources. “The legal documents will play a huge role in protecting fisheries. It will help Homa Bay in its efforts to conserve the lake,” he said.
Several efforts to eradicate the use of illegal fishing gear have been a thorn in the flesh of authorities charged with protecting the lake’s fragile ecosystem.
The assistant director of fisheries at the State Department of Fisheries, George Ajuoga, said counties have a considerable stake in fisheries management, adding that domestication of relevant policies was critical to sustainable development. “There are a lot of opportunities in the blue economy, and it is important to have policies that ensure prudent use of the lake’s resources,” he said.
Homa Bay County Director of Fisheries, George Okoth said the policy, which also proposes strengthening Co-Management Units’ structures to support monitoring, compliance, and enforcement, would allow them to tap into the blue economy’s underutilized potential.
“We are keen to establish sustainable development and management systems to woo investors into the sector and expand fish production to create wealth and meet the high demand for freshwater fish,” he said.
Once implemented, the policy will encourage more women to participate in fisheries management and create a stakeholder platform for all lake users to help with conflict management.
Additional reporting by Harold Otieno, Science Africa Correspondent.
