BLUE ECONOMY; Golden opportunity for Kenyan Coastal Communities and National Domestic product (GDP)

 Sustainable Development goal 14, life below water, focuses on conservation and sustainable use of Oceans, Seas and Marine resources for sustainable development. Oceans cover over 70% of the surface of our planet and play key role in supporting life on earth. Being the most diverse and important ecosystem, they contribute to regional and global elemental cycling and climate regulation through absorbing heat and carbon dioxide (CO²) from the atmosphere.

Conservation and sustainable use of blue economy resource is central 2030 agenda for sustainable development, especially for developing countries. Marine resources are particularly important for coastal communities which make about 37% of world’s population. However, oceans and coastal areas are extremely vulnerable to Environmental degradation, climate change, pollution and overfishing making their conservation and sustainable resources utilization a priority for all actors

Kenya enjoys a marine coastline of 640KM giving a total area of terrestrial waters of 9700KM² which has high growth potential. President Uhuru Kenyatta speech while attending first African blue economy conference in 2018 noted that Kenya’s blue economy could contribute thrice its current share of its gross domestic product. Kenya’s blue economy has potential to contribute three times its present share of gross domestic products thereby creating jobs and bringing prosperity to millions of Kenyans. The sector currently supports estimated two million people directly and indirectly as fishers, traders, processors, input suppliers, merchants of fishing accessories and providers of related services. Despite its low publicity, blue economy plays an important role in job creation, income generation, nutrition and food security.

Kenya’s blue economy sector remains underutilized hence need for government and private sector investment to boost the sectors contribution in Gross Domestic Product. For strengthening of the sector, there is need for regulation, capacity management, infrastructural support and community participation in the co-management of oceanic resources. This would lead to better management of the sector and improved wellbeing of the coastal communities.

The sector is however bedevilled by massive pollution, overexploitation of water resources and their related bio diversities and high seas perennial security threats. Invasive species and oceanic acidification lead to biodiversity loss and compromise human health and food security. Weak legal, policy, regulatory and institutional framework and poorly planned and unregulated coastal development has exacerbated already existing challenges.

Destruction of mangrove forests has exposed both ocean and mainland to agents of environmental degradation. Soil erosion continues to cause pollution to the ocean and acidification of chemical farm inputs due to absence of mangrove barrier previously creating pollution buffer, this has had lethal repercussion to aquatic life. Fish breeding sites mainly mangrove and seagrass destruction has significantly reduced fish population resulting to overfishing to meet fish demands. Tides has become more frequent and severer to human settlements, infrastructure and local communities leading to massive destruction of livelihood sources.

The launch of $100 million Marine Fisheries and Socioeconomic Development project (KEMFSED), a collaboration between Kenya Government and World Bank has placed fisheries sector prominently on national focus. The project is supporting building of sustainable marine fisheries and diversify income streams for coastal communities within Jumuiya ya Pwani counties. The project is empowering the fisher forks and rural coastal communities to take ownership of their resources while creating complementary income to meet their needs.

Kenya’s vision 2030 development agenda identified blue economy as a priority sector thus placing attention and focus for National government, County governments and Non State Actors in exploration of Kenyan oceanic resources. This has created vibrancy albeit minimal by different economic and development actors along coastal communities. Through public participation, awareness creation and positive publicity of blue economy opportunities, communities are coming out to partner and work in harnessing and conserving marine resources to improve their living standards.