The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Fisheries Policy aimed at exploiting the contribution of fisheries and aquaculture to food and nutritional security.

The policy seeks to provide a framework for the sustainable management and development of inland water and marine fishing resources in the country's Exclusive Economic Zone and territorial waters.

The policy identifies fisheries as a new growth sector by building on the phenomenal development of the sector over the last two decades.

Over time, the value of national annual fish production increased from an estimated value of Sh9 billion in 2008 to Sh30.38 billion in 2021.

The Cabinet had held a meeting with President William Ruto in the morning to consider policies and State programmes geared towards enhancing access to and affordability of food.

They also addressed the adverse effects of climate change as set out in the Administration's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda(BETA).

Further on matters of food production, the Cabinet reaffirmed that farmers countrywide will continue receiving affordable fertilizer. 

It urged them to take advantage of the ongoing Fertilizer Subsidy Programme during the current crop year covering the long rains season (March to May) and the short rains planting season (July to October).

On national programs, the Cabinet called on Kenyans to exploit this rainy season and plant trees within their areas as part of the ongoing National Tree Growing Campaign.

The campaign seeks to enhance Kenya's national tree cover to 30 per cent through the planting of 15 billion trees. 

The Cabinet ratified the resolutions of the 67th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, aimed at steering the nation towards gender parity. 

It expressed hopes that the domestic formulation of policies and programmes giving effect to the resolutions will further the country's place of pride within the community of nations and cement Kenya's status as a trailblazer in achieving gender equity in emerging scientific and technological fields.

Further, the ministers adopted the resolutions of the East Africa Community's Council of Ministers that seek to enhance integration across various sectors.

This is including agriculture, services, education, communication and fisheries.

It noted that the EAC Common Market is now home to a population of 283 million people, which offers Kenya greater opportunities for socioeconomic development through a wider market for goods and services. - SHARON MWENDE, The Star