Shaping Alliances

ABOUT LVA ASSOCIATION

The establishment of the Lake Victoria Aquaculture Association is a concrete expression of Ohala Africa’s role as a catalyst for systems-level change in Kenya’s Lake Region.

Recognising that fragmented voices, weak coordination, and policy incoherence were constraining the growth of aquaculture, Ohala Africa led a deliberate process to convene industry actors, build shared purpose, and support the emergence of a credible, representative platform for collective action. Founded in 2023, LVA brings together fish farmers, processors, input suppliers, researchers, and other value-chain stakeholders to engage constructively with markets, regulators, and investors.

Beyond sector convening, Ohala Africa has supported LVA to mature rapidly into a disciplined, evidence-driven industry voice—capable of engaging County and national governments on policy, regulation, and investment conditions that affect the viability of small- and medium-scale enterprises. This has included the design and convening of high-level forums that bring public and private actors into serious dialogue on sustainable aquaculture development.

In December 2024, LVA demonstrated this institutional maturity by taking principled legal action to challenge newly gazetted fisheries regulations that risked undermining livelihoods, food security, and sector competitiveness. The constitutional petition filed at the Milimani High Court reflected not only sector concern, but a broader commitment to fair, proportionate, and development-oriented regulation.

LVA’s emergence underscores Ohala Africa’s broader approach: strengthening institutions, aligning stakeholders, and enabling credible leadership from within the system. Rather than substituting for local actors, Ohala Africa invests in building platforms that can endure, advocate responsibly, and shape the long-term trajectory of key economic sectors in the Lake Region.