Lodwar, 29th May 2025 (Public Communication and Media Relations)
Blue economy stakeholders have concluded a three-day training on business growth and market access opportunities for fish products from Lake Turkana.
The training, led by TradeMark Africa and other partners through the support of Mastercard Foundation, focused on fish trade policies, exports standards requirements, market access and diversification, value addition and financial solutions, targeted individuals and groups in the blue economy sector.
Speaking during the training opening, County Executive for Trade, Gender, Youth Affairs and Tourism, Roseline Aite said the blue economy sector was yet to be fully harnessed and that such trainings would speed up the entry of youth and women into the sector.
She added that the County was committed towards encouraging uptake of opportunities in the blue economy sector. She also urged the trainees to diversify and venture into aquaculture.
“This program is equally being implemented in five other countries, thus opening up market opportunities for fish products from Turkana to Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, DRC and Nigeria. As a county, we highly encourage youth and women led groups to take up fishing as a means of livelihood,” said CEC Aite.
The team lead of the trainers, Maureen Wanyonyi of TradeMark Africa, emphasized on uptake of digital solutions such as virtual markets as a means of growing the sector in Turkana.
Wanyonyi called for embracement of fishing as a platform for wealth creation and enterprise development capable of benefiting up to 242,000 youth and women.
Traditionally, trade in fish sector has locked out women and youth led groups, denying them job opportunities.
Apart from TradeMark Africa, other implementing partners included Lattice Aquaculture Limited, Association of Women in Fisheries Blue Economy Kenya (AWFBEK) Economy Microsave Global Consulting Limited, Kilimotrust, and the African Women Fish Processors and Traders Network (AWFishNet).
Suzzane Njeri of AFWBEK, said that the trainees had learnt; mapping of fish value chain locations, understanding and overcoming barriers to uptake of blue economy and, working within the approved policy and regulatory frameworks.
Turkana Chapter Kenya National Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI) representative, Mike Nakuwa, described the training as timely as it provided skills to growing a fisheries industry.
Coming at a time when the county is planning to put up a fish processing industry in Kalokol, the training is expected to create a critical mass of qualified persons to utilize the upcoming industrial infrastructure.
