15/07/2026
IFAD Mission Inspects Modern Ogal Landing Site as Community Pushes for Key Upgrades
A joint delegation from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) just concluded a high-profile field visit to the Ogal Beach Management Unit (BMU). The mission aimed to assess the construction progress of a modern fish landing site and aggregation centre, a project poised to transform the local blue economy.
The delegation, led by Dr. Richard Abila, IFAD's Senior Global Technical Specialist for Fisheries and Aquaculture, conducted a comprehensive tour of the facility and held direct, open discussions with local fisherfolk to understand the project's impact and outstanding hurdles.
The site inspection was guided by Eng. Yego of Soboccon Consultants, the contracted firm supervising the construction. Eng. Yego walked the delegation through the structural developments, highlighting the engineering milestones achieved so far and explaining how the modern aggregation centre will serve local fishers once fully operational.
The infrastructure is funded through the Aquaculture Business Development Programme (ABDP), a joint initiative between the Government of Kenya and IFAD designed to boost aquaculture production and improve livelihoods.
Following the physical inspection, the IFAD team held an interactive session with members of the Ogal BMU community.
While the community expressed deep gratitude for the investments made so far, they also used the platform to raise critical concerns regarding omissions from the original project designs and administrative delays.
"We are incredibly grateful to the ABDP program for gifting us this modern landing site and the fish cages. They represent a massive leap forward for our community. However, our joy is incomplete because vital components we were promised have been left out." — Ogal BMU Representative
The community highlighted some pressing issues:
• Omitted Infrastructure: The fisherfolk registered strong disappointment over the omission of a landing wharf or jetty and a restaurant, both of which were featured in the project's initial master plans. Without a proper jetty, docking and offloading catches safely remains a major challenge.
• Delayed Cage Stocking: Community members expressed frustration over a lengthy administrative bottleneck. Despite receiving modern fish cages over eight months ago, the cages remain empty and unstocked, stalling potential revenue generation for local families.
While responding to the community's feedback, the IFAD mission acknowledged the issues and emphasized the need for seamless logistics to make the project a success.
To resolve immediate transport challenges, the IFAD delegation formally requested the County Government to intervene urgently by upgrading the access road leading to the Ogal landing site.
