Heavy Metal Pollution from Migori Gold Mining Area, Kenya: Health Implications for Consumers of Fish and Water

Potentially harmful elements (PHE) also referred to as heavy metals (HM) were analyzed in water, fish, nails and scalp hair in children between 5 and 10 years in Migori gold mining belt, Kenya. The samples were digested using acids and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The results revealed that the continued consumption of water and fish contaminated from gold mining activities within the vicinity, have significantly increased the concentrations of selected PHE in the nails and scalp hair. There was correlation between the HM in the water and fish and those established in the nails and scalp hair of the children going to school in the gold mine Region, Kenya. Mercury (Hg) and Arsenic (As) in water showed elevated levels above WHO maximum acceptable level in reported studies. Results showed that concentrations of cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and lead (Pb) in water were recorded above the permissible limits set by WHO while zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) were recorded below the permissible limits. Lead (Pd) and cadmium (Cd) concentrations in nails showed elevated levels above those reported in occupationally exposed residents. Concentrations of Pb, Cd, Cr, and Cu were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the hair samples collected from the polluted area as compared to control area. Older children (10 years) tended to show higher mean concentrations of PHE as compared to the younger ones (5year) within the same area. The research indicate that the children in the study area are exposed to high health risks associated with ingestion of PHE through contaminated ingestion of fish and drinking water from the rivers flowing through the gold mining area. Education and drastic interventions need to be put in place to protect the young generation from multiple health risks associated with gold mining activities in Migori Gold Belt in Kenya. Keywords: Bioaccumulation; heavy metals; water, human hair; nails, fish matri

Seasonal changes in length-weight relationship and condition factor of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Cichlidae) in Lake Naivasha, Kenya

The study compared the length-weight relationship and condition factor (K) of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Lake Naivasha, Kenya, between the wet and dry seasons. Fish samples were collected monthly by gill netting from February to December 2015. A total of 372 samples of O. niloticus were analysed. The b values in the length-weight relationships were observed as 3.077 and 3.366 in the wet and dry seasons, respectively. The values of b exhibited positive allometric growth which were the important indication that the species was growing faster in weight than length. The K values of the fish ranged 1.18-4.1 during the wet season and 0.8-3.0 during the dry season.  All mean monthly K values were found to be greater than 1, the highest being in June (2.33±0.05) and lowest in February (1.31±0.28), an indication of a healthy status and general well-being of the O. niloticus population in Lake Naivasha. The study concluded that seasonal variation has no great influence in the length-weight relationship and condition factor of O. niloticus in Lake Naivasha

A New Rural-Urban Fish Food System was Established in Kenya–Learning from Best Practices

Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi, Kenya, is increasing in size and complexity due to migration from rural areas. Reaching the objectives of zero hunger and sustainable cities and communities (SDGs2 and 11) are urgent and complex challenges to future development. In this survey a new fish value-chain has been set up between a rural area called Nyeri district and the inhabitants of Kibera, to supply small-sized affordable and accessible fish. The main aim of this article is to investigate this best practice example to assist future initiatives to overcome the complex challenges and discuss reasons why it was successful. The methods applied to obtain information to conduct this survey include a literature review, two workshops, and five preparatory interviews of Kibera inhabitants. The contributions by two community leaders, one in Kibera and one in Nyeri, are central to understand why this project was successful. The community leaders were trusted in their local networks. To ensure a resilient rural-urban food system in the future, it is critically important to understand context-specific institutional mechanisms, which in Kenya are based in communities run by strong community leads with capacities to motivate and influence other actors in the network to improve and make changes. View Full-Tex

Food system value-chain adaptability - can new opportunities increase food security and food safety in Kibera? Linking aquaculture to urban food systems : Workshop Report - Discussing new opportunities with the aquaculture value-chains between Nyeri - Kibera

New business opportunities for aquaculture farmers in Nyeri and Kibera fish vendors – with potentials for real impact on food security in Kiber

Socio-Economic Drivers of Fish Species Consumption Preferences in Kenya’s Urban Informal Food System

In an effort to contribute to resilient food and nutritional security in urban slums, a food system approach was applied to understand the key socio-economic factors driving fish species consumption in Kibera, the largest informal settlement in Africa located in Nairobi, Kenya. Data were collected from 385 randomly selected households using a structured questionnaire. A multivariate probit model was applied to estimate the relationship between the variables in order to determine the socio-economic drivers of preferences for different fish species. The results indicated that Lake Victoria sardine (Rastrineobola argentea) had the highest preference (73%) among the respondents, followed by Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) (70%) and Nile perch (Lates niloticus) (23%), respectively, with other fish species at 12%, including African catfish, marbled lungfish, common carp, fulu and tuna (Clarias gariepinus, Protopterus aethiopicus, Cyprinus carpio, Haplochromine cichlids and Thunnus sp., respectively). Large household size showed an increase in preference for the Lake Victoria sardine, while higher income influenced preference for Nile tilapia and Nile perch positively, implying that when more income is available, Nile tilapia is the preferred fish over other fish species. Increased fish prices positively influenced preference for Nile tilapia, which is explained by the willingness to pay extra for quality and origin, for instance, to avoid the cheaply cultivated Chinese fish. In the case of the Lake Victoria sardine, lower prices positively affected the preferences. Religious and cultural practices and beliefs influenced preference for species and consumption of fish. Residents who migrated from western Kenya had a higher preference for the Lake Victoria sardine, while residents born and raised in Kibera had a higher preference for Nile tilapia. Neighbourhood effects reduced the preference for consuming Nile perch. These findings provide insights into future market opportunities for specific target groups. For instance, given that small-sized fish like the Lake Victoria sardine is highly demanded, in order to increase resiliency in food and nutrition security, small-sized cheap Nile tilapia will have a large potential in the future, with ever higher demand specifically from the residents born and raised in Kibera