A fish and sardine preservation facility has been established in Muhurubay.

The Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI), in partnership with the Migori County government and We!Hub Victoria Limited, has launched a new fish and sardine drying and preservation facility in Muhurubay. This plant aims to assist the local fishing community, which has been facing significant post-harvest losses.

The facility features a solar-powered cooling and drying machine that serves Muhurubay and its surrounding areas. During the machine’s launch, Lucas Mosenda, Migori County Executive Committee member for Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries Management, noted that fishermen have been losing 15-20 percent of their catch due to these losses. He emphasized that the new machine will provide much-needed relief for these fisher-folks, helping them preserve and dry their catch more effectively.

Linus Kosambo, a KIRDI researcher, highlighted that the machine, which has been successfully tested at one of their sites in Coastal Kenya, operates entirely on solar power. This innovation is expected to improve the quality of the fish and help fishermen secure better market opportunities.

Eng. Peter Korinko, Chairperson of KIRDI, supported these remarks, stressing the importance of expanding similar projects to other counties around Lake Victoria.