Kenya’s environmental watchdog has initiated a review of a major tilapia farming expansion on Lake Victoria by Victory Farms Limited, a venture buoyed by fresh international funding.
Recently, AgDevCo injected an additional US$15 million into Victory Group via a mezzanine loan, marking its second investment following an earlier US$4 million commitment in 2021. The funding is earmarked for establishing new aquaculture sites in Kenya and Rwanda, enhancing distribution channels, and scaling annual production to 30,000 metric tonnes of tilapia.
Founded in 2015 by Joseph Rehmann and Steve Moran, the company has been working to revitalise the fish value chain around Lake Victoria.
In the wake of this financing, National Environment Management Authority has released an Environmental Impact Assessment for a proposed 390-acre cage farming project. The site is planned for Nyatike West and Nyatike South sub-counties in Migori County.
The assessment outlines a high-capacity commercial cage system intended to boost tilapia output. However, it flags environmental concerns, including potential disturbance of lakebed sediments during the installation and removal of cages, anchors, and mooring systems. To mitigate this, the company proposes careful handling procedures, timing operations during calm conditions, and closely supervising activities to minimise sediment spread and debris.
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There are also risks linked to fuel and oil leaks from boats and machinery. Proposed safeguards include draining fuel before dismantling equipment, implementing spill-prevention measures, and maintaining on-site emergency response kits.
Waste management is another area of focus, as the project is expected to produce solid waste from cage materials and day-to-day operations. Plans include sorting waste into recyclable and non-recyclable categories, reusing materials where possible, and disposing of the remainder through licensed handlers.
Additionally, the report highlights the threat of microplastic pollution from synthetic fishing nets. Mitigation efforts will involve ensuring complete retrieval of nets, conducting site inspections for fragments, and using regulated disposal channels to prevent contamination.
