FAO launches regional project to scale up integrated rice-fish farming in Eastern Africa

31 July 2026, Addis Ababa - Improving food and nutrition security and rural livelihoods across Eastern Africa require innovative farming approaches that make better use of natural resources. To support the wider adoption and strengthening of integrated rice–fish farming systems, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Subregional Office for Eastern Africa (FAO-SFE) launched a new sub regional project targeting Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda.
 
The project launching, held in Kirinyaga County, Kenya, from 23-25 June 2026, brought together representatives from government institutions, national research organizations and FAO country offices in Ethiopia, Kenya and Rwanda, as well as FAO Headquarters. It aimed at planning project implementation, sharing experiences and identifying practical approaches for scaling up integrated rice-fish farming systems across the three countries.
 
Opening the workshop, Roy Aseka, Assistant Director in Kenya's State Department of Blue Economy and Fisheries, said integrated rice-fish farming offers significant potential to improve food and nutrition security, create additional income opportunities for farming households and strengthen resilience to climate change. He added, “The project provides an opportunity to move beyond pilot initiatives and support wider adoption of the approach, contributing to increased rice and fish production while improving rural livelihoods.”
 
The FAO Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa, ad interim, and FAO Representative in Kenya, Farayi Zimudzi, also highlighted integrated rice-fish farming as an innovative and practical approach to improving food and nutrition security, strengthening rural livelihoods and building more resilient agrifood systems, in her recorded message. Focusing on the new project she noted, “the project builds on lessons from earlier pilot initiatives and seeks to address key barriers limiting wider adoption, including access to quality inputs, technical capacity and market opportunities.” She also highlighted the role of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) and Black Soldier Fly (BSF) production in supporting the project's scaling strategy.
 
Participants discussed practical approaches for implementing the project, emphasizing the importance of using Farmer Field Schools for capacity building, improving market linkages for rice and fish products, and promoting innovative bio-based inputs, including the use of Black Soldier Fly larvae for fish feed and organic fertilizer production.
 
They also stressed the need to generate stronger evidence on integrated rice-fish farming models and continue sharing knowledge and lessons learned across participating countries to strenghten integrated rice-fish value chains. Field visits to BESIF Technologies in Rukanga, Mwea West Sub-county, and the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) Industrial Crops Research Centre in Mwea gave participants practical insights into Black Soldier Fly production, rice research and circular bioeconomy approaches that can support sustainable farming systems.
 
Funded through FAO's Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC) mechanism, the project aims to improve household incomes and food and nutrition security through the adoption of sustainable integrated rice-fish farming systems. By strengthening farmers' skills, improving market opportunities and promoting innovative production practices, the initiative is expected to contribute to more resilient agrifood systems and better livelihoods for rural communities across Eastern Africa.