Cooperating countries: Kenya, Austria

Coordinating institution: University of Innsbruck 

Project coordinator: Rainer Kurmayer

Partner institutions: Egerton University, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science & Technology, The Technical University of Kenya

Project duration: 13 October 2025 - 13 October 2027

Budget: 35.340,00 €

Lake Victoria's satellite lakes are known for conserving endemic fish species whose population has reduced significantly or gone extinct in the main lake. Fishery in the satellite lakes contributes to food and nutrition security for the local communities and supports fisherfolk's livelihoods. In addition, the lakes are vital domestic water sources for the riparian communities. Over the years, however, fish populations and biodiversity have declined in these lakes due to natural (climate) and anthropogenic drivers exerting multiple pressures on the ecology of the lakes thus impacting biodiversity, livelihoods, food and nutrition security. Currently, there is no information on the current status of fish biodiversity, catch and stock as well as the role of the key drivers of change causing these declines. Such challenges jeopardise the realization of not only the National Goals on food and nutrition security and biodiversity conservation but also the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to no poverty (SDG 1), zero hunger (SDG 2), sustainability of water resources (SDG 6) and halt biodiversity loss (SDG 15). 
This study aims to establish a research-centered partnership to assess the status of biodiversity in Lake Victoria’s satellite lakes regarding fish and plankton through modern metabarcoding techniques, but also via traditional estimates on catch, stock, and co-development of their drivers of change, as well as potential interventions to inform conservation actions and sustainable fisheries measures to halt the current trends. This will promote biodiversity conservation, and contribute to food, nutrition, and livelihood security of the local communities.