The Role of Small Water Bodies in Supporting Alternative Livelihoods through Aquaculture Development in the Lake Victoria Basin, Kenya: A Case Study of Siaya and Migori Counties
Smallholder Aquaculture Potential and Livelihood Diversification Strategies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65869/sar.v5.i2.155Keywords:
Aquaculture, Community willingness, Food security, Lake Victoria Basin LivelihoodAbstract
Small water bodies (SWBs) in the Lake Victoria Basin remain largely underexploited for aquaculture, despite their significant potential to support alternative livelihoods in rural communities. This study assessed the role of SWBs in Siaya and Migori Counties, Kenya, in supporting alternative livelihoods through aquaculture development. Data were collected from 65 respondents (38 Siaya, 27 Migori) across 11 water bodies using KoboToolbox and analysed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, Chi-square tests, binary Logistic Regression (LR), and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in SPSS version 25. Respondents were predominantly male (84.6%), with a mean age of 46.5±12.5 years. Occupational composition differed significantly between counties (χ²(4) = 55.67, p < .001, Cramér's V = 0.925), with Siaya dominated by fishers and Migori by farmers, reflecting their contrasting water body types. Water quality and fish farming potential were generally favourable across both counties. Migori rated site modifiability (r = 0.401) and water sufficiency (r = 0.362) significantly higher than Siaya, while key gaps were identified in input supply in Migori and market access in Siaya. Community-perceived benefits included job creation (100%), income generation (95.4%), and improved nutrition (90.8%). Willingness to participate was near-universal (92.3%) and was not significantly predicted by any perception domain (LR χ²(4) = 5.38, p = .250). PCA identified five components explaining 69.2% of variance, with "Aquaculture Readiness" as the dominant dimension (28.5%). Nile tilapia was the most preferred species (55.4%). These findings confirm strong community endorsement and significant untapped potential for SWB aquaculture in the Lake Victoria Basin.
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