Location: Kilifi County, Kenya

Collaborators: Lora Iannotti, Carolyn Lesorogol (Washington University in St. Louis); Andrew Wamukota, Innocent Wanyonyi, Christopher Cheupe, Joaquim Mwaganda (Pwani University); Elizabeth Kamau-Mbuthia, Catherine Sarange (Egerton University)

Goal: Investigate the multidimensional impacts of a fishing gear modification and social marketing awareness campaign for coastal small-scale fishing families. We are assessing health and wellbeing impacts alongside fishery yields to determine how interventions can simultaneously achieve sustainability and food security goals.

Significance: Achieving sustainable fisheries production in coastal Kenya while improving access to nutrient-rich fish has large-scale implications for food and nutrition security, gender equity, and health outcomes such as stunting, anemia, and malnutrition.

Background: Coastal fisheries in Kenya have seen a four-fold decrease in their catch since the 1980’s. Nearly half of the Kenyan population lives below the poverty line, and vulnerable groups show low dietary diversity with only 21% of children reporting consumption of fish, meat, or poultry. Our previous assessment of local coastal fisheries using nutrition and health indicators in combination with information on local market conditions and social norms of fish consumption indicated that certain marine species can be targeted for more sustainable, nutritious, and financially secure outcomes (see ‘SecureFish’ in past projects). Coastal Kenyans are some of the most vulnerable people globally to stunting and malnutrition, and this project hopes to improve the situation through a multi-faceted intervention enrolling 400 fishing families.

Scientific Milestones: Forthcoming

Funding: US Agency for International Development (USAID)