Researchers are concerned about poor nutritional habits in Busia County, particularly low consumption of fish in households.
This follows a new study that revealed that a majority of Busia households rely heavily on ugali and green vegetables in their daily meals.
Though part of the region has fishing communities, a majority of residents hardly include fish in their household diets.
Fish is among the healthiest foods, loaded with important nutrients such as protein and vitamin D. It is also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for the body and brain.
The survey by Egerton University in conjunction with Maseno University and the Kenya Marine Research Institute revealed the wanting dietary habits of residents, noting that only a third of families in Busia consume a balanced diet.
The survey revealed that 70 percent of fish farmers in Busia were selling their entire produce and families hardly include it in their diets.
Egerton University clinical, nutrition and dietetics lecturer Dr Maureen Cheserek said locals need to be educated on dietary diversity and particularly the inclusion of fish in their meals.
The researchers want fisheries resources to contribute to poverty reduction, improved nutrition and wealth creation in the county.
The research hinted at a burden of malnutrition in Busia, with women and children the most affected.
The fish sector in Busia provides food, nutrition, employment and income to the local population and earns a sizable amount in foreign exchange.
The sector supports over 1,000 people directly as fishermen and 1,868 fish farmers with 227 stocked fish ponds.
It also supports 20,065 people directly and indirectly working as fishermen, traders, processors, suppliers and merchants of fishing accessories and employees and their dependents.
In 2019, fish production from inland capture fisheries contributed 5 million kilos of the county’s total fish production, amounting to Sh509 million, with the principal fishery being Lake Victoria.
Last year saw a decline in fish stocks in the lake as fish died from the effects of a changing climate, thereby creating a wide gap between supply and demand.
Dr Cheserek observed that most families were consuming poor-quality diets with only a third of families consuming a balanced diet.
She urged the fisheries and health departments to work together to improve nutrition outcomes among women and children in the county.
“Local families should develop the culture of eating fish to diversify their diet and adopt value addition to improve their incomes and nutrition,” she said.
The Kenya Climate Smart Agricultural Project, she said, was seeking to promote a commercially viable aquaculture industry through validation of innovative fish marketing, value addition and post-harvest technologies in Busia, Siaya and Kakamega counties to increase availability, access and consumption of nutrient-rich fish among women, youth and children.
“We need our people to be educated on foods that can enrich their balanced diet. Women should be enlightened on behaviour change so that children can utilise the nutritious food available in the county,” she added.
Busia deputy nutrition coordinator Vincent Kwena called for value addition for locally produced fish to be consumed by local communities.
“We need value-added fish products in Busia instead of exporting our fish to other people to improve on the value before they bring it back to sell to us at exaggerated prices,” he said.
The initiative to validate marketing, value addition and post-harvest technologies for improved food and nutrition was vital for the improvement of the diet by the residents, he said.
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