Turkana County, SNV partner to support 10,000 youth in fisheries and aquaculture

News / Wed, 08/12/2026 - 12:22

ERICK OMULO-PCO

The Turkana County Government, through its Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, has entered a partnership with SNV Netherlands Development Organization to support 10,000 youth from host and refugee communities, targeting improved food security in the county.

Of the beneficiaries, 7,000 will be drawn from host communities and 3,000 from refugee com munities, officials said.

The partnership was announced during a courtesy visit by SNV representatives to county fisheries officials in Lodwar, where discussions centered on quality assurance, capture fisheries and aquaculture under SNV’s CASHA Project. Acting Deputy Director for Fisheries and Aquacul ture John Bett said aqua culture holds significant untapped potential for the county.

“Aquaculture is an emerging and potentially viable sub-sector in Turkana, and the govern ment is happy to join hands with SNV and other sector players to meaningfully exploit this for the benefit of the Turkana community,” Bett said.

Creating Shared Value (CASHA) in the Livestock Sector with Young People in Kenya’s ASALs, is a five-year initiative led by SNV aimed at creating climate-resilient jobs for 200,000 youth and women across arid and semi-arid regions.

SNV Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor Ivy Mwihaki said the pro gramme spans 15 counties and covers red meat, apiculture, aquaculture and related value chains, with SNV specifically leading aquaculture and capture fisheries components to open income pathways for young people.

In Turkana, she said, CASHA will prioritize young women, youth with disa bilities and refugees across Turkana West, Turkana South, Turkana Central and Loima sub-counties.

The initiative is funded by the Mastercard Foundation and led by the Food and Agriculture Organization, bringing together a consortium that includes SNV, ILRI, BOMA, E4Impact and the Kenya Livestock Mar keting Council, with focus areas spanning poultry, beef, fodder production and other agri-food enterprises.