In Kisumu’s Obunga market, fish traders are innovatively turning discarded fish by-products into consumable food and fashion accessories, showcasing a practical approach to minimizing food waste.
Remjuce Odhiambo, a local fish trader, explained that fish frames left after processing are either cooked fresh or deep-fried and sold as snacks. Additionally, whole fish purchased from processing factories are utilized not only for consumption but also to create items such as belts and hats.
“In our market, nothing goes to waste; we add value to every part,” Odhiambo stated on August 12, 2026.
County Efforts to Tackle Food Waste
This initiative aligns with broader efforts by Kisumu, Vihiga, and Siaya counties, which have launched a food banking project aimed at recovering edible food before it becomes waste and redirecting it to vulnerable populations.
Dr Sylvia Nyawira from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT highlighted that 30 to 40 percent of food produced in Kenya is lost or wasted, with perishable goods like fruits and vegetables being most affected. The project focuses on identifying critical points of loss within food value chains and devising recovery strategies.
Recovered food will primarily support early childhood development centres facing nutritional challenges.
Innovations in Vihiga County
Betty Mulianga, Vihiga’s Agriculture Chief Officer, noted that farmers often lose African leafy vegetables due to lack of buyers. The county promotes aggregation and cold storage to preserve produce, preventing losses and enabling better market access.
Vihiga is also exploring value addition in bananas through aggregation, ripening, and processing into products like banana flour and crisps. Avocado processing initiatives, including oil extraction and seed utilization, are underway to maximize produce use.
Addressing Storage and Transport Challenges
John Gathungu, CEO of Food Banking Kenya, identified inadequate storage and transport as major barriers to food recovery. Small-scale production complicates collection logistics, prompting the adoption of community-based collection and solar dehydrators to extend vegetable shelf life.
Gathungu emphasized the need for investment in storage facilities and efficient transport to ensure timely collection and distribution of recovered food.
The collaborative project between the three counties and food-system organizations seeks to reduce food loss by implementing practical recovery methods across the supply chain.
