The fisheries sector in Kilifi County, Kenya, faces significant challenges due to climate change, overfishing, and inadequate infrastructure, all of which threaten the sustainability of local livelihoods. This project aims to enhance the adaptive capacity of coastal communities by promoting sustainable fishing practices, improving fish processing and marketing, and ensuring food security. Building on the AICS-funded Ecos project, the initiative will provide fishing communities with cold chain management equipment, training, and marketing strategies to improve product quality, safety, and traceability.
Key partners in the project include:
• The Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences of the University of Bologna (DIMEVET), which will conduct ecosystem health assessments.
• The Department of Renewable Energy at the Polytechnic University of Milan (PoliMi), along with Off Grid Sun (OGS) and eNextGen, which will implement solar energy solutions for fish production.
• Local institutions, including the Fisheries Division and the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), will be actively involved to ensure institutional recognition and long-term sustainability.
WE&B will develop a Living Lab approach to foster local ownership, while CAST and GuardAvanti (GA) will focus on community engagement. Through these interventions, the project aims to strengthen the Blue Economy in Kilifi County, promoting both economic resilience and environmental conservation.
Under the Project, WE&B successfully developed/delivered the following services:
• Establishing and managing two Living Labs to facilitate community involvement and develop sustainable strategies for project implementation.
• Coordinating stakeholder collaboration, organizing workshops, gathering user feedback, and overseeing iterative development cycles.
• Leveraging co-creation processes to ensure the developed solutions are tailored to the needs of coastal and offshore fishing communities.
• Fostering innovation by directly involving end-users in testing and refining sustainable solutions, drawing from extensive experience in managing Living Labs for environmental and water-related projects.
• Ensuring community ownership and long-term project sustainability by working closely with local partners such as CAST and GuardAvanti (GA), who focus on community mobilization.
• Promoting sustainable fishing practices, enhancing economic resilience, and supporting environmental conservation in Kilifi County through a participatory framework.
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