How to use the full potential of Kenya's vast marine resources :: Kenya

As you read this article, the Blue Economy Conference, the first of its kind in the world, has just ended.

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The true value of the blue economy for Kenya

The blue economy has tremendous potential for the country, especially at a time when we are trying to address the overarching issue of youth employment and underemployment.

It offers a viable alternative to the land-based economy as a source of income for young people. It supports many industries, which offer many opportunities for young people both inside and outside our borders.

Let's look at the statistics.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), fishers, fish farmers and other suppliers of goods and services to marine-related industries are keeping close watch of 820 million people worldwide. In Kenya, the Indian Ocean generates about 70% of coastal communities' income and employs around 20,000 people.

We can only imagine the untapped potential that we can release by exploiting our marine resources sustainably and optimally. In such a diverse world, we need to be as open minded as possible, which encourages the creation of opportunities in the blue economy as attractive as opportunities in the business world.

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Marine Safety

If we strive to enhance maritime security with Kenya's new coastguard service; our ports and our shipping facilities are reorganized; aquaculture and fish processing and storage capacity are enhanced, so maybe a young person heading to the university will readily choose a course in marine engineering with the same zeal than the one he would have chosen for a digital marketing course. Because both are equally attractive.

In addition, a young from a coastal community on the edge of the Indian Ocean will get up every morning, get his fishing gear and find his way to the ocean for another fishing expedition knowing with happiness that he has the same potential. like his counterpart working at a multinational in Nairobi, as diverse as they are. That a young woman will be confident enough to pursue her dream at Kenya Maritime School, as she would at the Kenya School of Flying.

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Billions committed to the blue economy

This is perhaps what the blue economy means for young people; the availability of opportunities and a chance to pursue dreams and pbadions.

Is all this possible amidst a myriad of challenges with which the blue economy is currently struggling? First, there is unprecedented climate change that makes oceans warmer, more acidic and, subsequently, a threat to the coral reefs and nurseries of many fish species.

Then comes the challenge of waste management. Every time we dump waste into the ocean, most of it breaks down into microplastics, which are ingested by the fish and end up at the table.

In addition, if that were not enough, imagine the damage caused by the wastes of our heavy metals industries such as lead and mercury, which cover the rich biodiversity of our oceans? Much of this biodiversity is a delight for many of us. Imagine the adverse health effects if the tilapia on your table tonight contains these heavy metals in its tissues.

Fish Broth

There is also a risk of depletion of our fish stock because we exploit more of our marine resources than nature can replenish. Activities such as overfishing, the use of destructive fishing gear and harmful have consequences. With the growing number of people dependent on the fishery for their livelihood, the decline in fish stocks is an impending disaster.

These, among other challenges, prevent realizing the immense opportunities that the blue economy promises. Maybe that's why the conference on the blue economy would not have come at a better time. The fact that more than 18,000 delegates from around the world traveled to Nairobi to attend the conference was a good start.

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The true value of the blue economy for Kenya

In the future, it is imperative that we remember the commitments made at the Conference and deliver on these commitments. We must fight against illegal fishing, we need schools, research and innovation centers to improve the technology of the blue economy, and we need security for trade to be able to continue unhindered in order to fully realize the potential of the blue economy.

Mr Mokamba comments on social problems