Hon. K’Okoth Sylvestre, the CECM for Agriculture, Food Security, Livestock & Blue Economy, who doubles as the National Chairman of CECMs Caucus on Fisheries & Blue Economy, toured Snowball Agriculture Limited at Sirongo Beach, Central Sakwa Ward, Bondo Sub County. The company which undertakes investments in aquaculture, intends to promote development of aquiculture, as well as contribute to the local economy through its investments.
It was crucial for the CECM to undertake the visit to assess the compliance of the investor, their strategies and support the execution of the county’s strategies as well as the observance of the legal provisions governing the invest.
The main purpose for which Hon. K’Okoth paid a visit to Snowball Agriculture Limited was to review the company in respect to matters touching on the environment, safety as well as health. Further, the evaluation also aimed at assessing the firm’s capacity of cooperating with the BMU and local people.
Ideally, these are important parameters in the licencing process because they guarantee that the investor will not create any hindrance to the wellbeing of the community or to the state of the environment. The CECM role is also decisive in such kind of visits because it serves to ensure that the flow of investment is balanced with the protection of the community.
Hon. K’Okoth, in his interaction with the people during the awareness creation phase that involved the BMU, called for the encourage the investors whose operations have the potential to enhance the lives of the locals.
He described potential positive effects which may follow such investments, among which are the provision of employment opportunities, exchange of skills, and giving a start to charitable practices. But he also urged the investors to ensure that discussions with the community cover the modalities of interaction in detailed. It is vital that these measures must be discussed to avoid interferences and legal prohibitions with the day-to-day business of other players particularly the investors.
Hon. K’Okoth further indicated that the County Government of Siaya led by the Governor James Orengo is fully committed to increasing the Kshs. 4 billion Blue Economy market. This sector has the potential of improving the food security, increasing market share, boosting the economy of the county, and these are in line with the nine-point issued in the Nyalore Manifesto.
It is however appreciated that to realise these goals a push and pull approach is needed through offering farmer advisory services on climate smart technologies as well as the support of private investments and putting up of facilities such as the Luanda Kotieno Agro-processing facility.
Besides, the County Government will continue to support measures that check on such domains as unlawful fishing, pollutions of the sources of water supply, among other areas of concern in development of sustainable Blue Economy.
The government through its relevant ministries is equally pledged towards the sector and the provision of the appropriate inputs including fingerlings and feeds. Such efforts are geared at providing favors for investors such as Snowball Agriculture Limited while at the same time making sure that the community benefits from such investments. By so doing, the County Government hopes to create a conducive Blue Economy that will supplement the living standards of the people.