Impact of USAID Contract Freeze on Kenyan Aquaculture Programs: Key Disruptions as of March 6, 2025

USAID’s unexpected contract freeze, effective March 6, 2025, has disrupted vital fish farming programs in Kenya, sending shockwaves through Africa’s aquaculture sector. The ripple effects could threaten food security and livelihoods, with further impacts still being assess

• It seems likely that the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish’s activities in Kenya are stopped due to the USAID contract freeze, affecting aquaculture programs.
• Specific programs include training smallholder fish farmers and the Achieving Coral Reef Fishery Sustainability activity.
• Research suggests other USAID-funded aquaculture programs in Kenya may also be impacted, but details are less clear.

Background

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has faced a funding freeze, disrupting various programs, including those supporting aquaculture in Africa. This freeze, initiated under recent political changes, has particularly affected Kenya, where aquaculture programs are vital for economic and nutritional development.

Impact on Kenyan Programs

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish, managed by Mississippi State University, is a key program impacted, with activities in Kenya such as training smallholder fish farmers on disease monitoring and the Achieving Coral Reef Fishery Sustainability activity likely halted. This lab, funded by USAID, focuses on improving nutrition and food security through sustainable aquaculture, and its stop-work order suggests all ongoing Kenyan activities are paused.

Unexpected Detail

While the main focus is on the Innovation Lab, there’s also mention of the Aquaculture & Fisheries CRSP, which may be related but managed by Oregon State University, adding complexity to identifying all affected programs.

Survey Note: Detailed Analysis of USAID Contract Freeze Impact on Kenyan Aquaculture Programs

This note provides a comprehensive examination of the impact of the USAID contract freeze on Kenyan aquaculture programs, focusing on the disruptions caused and the specific programs affected. The analysis is grounded in recent developments as of March 6, 2025, and draws on available online resources to ensure accuracy and depth.

Context and Background

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is a key provider of foreign aid, supporting programs in agriculture, including aquaculture, across Africa. Aquaculture, the farming of fish and other aquatic animals, is crucial for Kenya, contributing to food security and economic growth. Recent political decisions, particularly under the Trump administration, have led to a freeze on USAID funding, with plans to shutter the agency and halt key programs aimed at global economic growth and poverty reduction. This freeze, though partially contested by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on March 5, 2025, has left the future of several projects uncertain, including major aquaculture initiatives in Africa.

The funding freeze has been reported to disrupt programs by issuing stop-work orders, furloughing staff, and suspending disbursements, with immediate impacts on operations. For Kenya, this disruption is significant given its role as a leader in East Africa and its reliance on USAID for agricultural development, including aquaculture.

Identification of Affected Programs

The primary program identified as affected is the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish, managed by Mississippi State University’s Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security. This lab, funded by USAID, received a stop-work order, halting its initiatives as reported on March 5, 2025, by SeafoodSource USAID contract freeze disrupts Africa aquaculture programs. The lab’s mission is to reduce poverty and improve nutrition through sustainable aquaculture and fisheries, with activities targeting Feed the Future countries, including Kenya, Bangladesh, Nigeria, and Zambia.

Further research into the lab’s website, Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish, reveals specific activities in Kenya. These include:

• Training smallholder fish farmers on disease monitoring, biosecurity, and improved management practices, as noted in a news article from 2023, indicating recent and likely ongoing work.
• The Achieving Coral Reef Fishery Sustainability activity, with a journal article published in Conservation Science and Practice in 2023, suggesting active research.

These activities are part of broader efforts to enhance productivity and sustainability, with the lab’s portfolio including projects like “Fish for Food and Feed in Africa: Improving Aquatic Food Systems for Better Nutrition and Food Security,” which covers Kenya among other countries.

Additional Programs and Complexity

The analysis also encountered references to the Aquaculture & Fisheries Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP), managed by Oregon State University, with historical activities in Kenya, such as designing aquaponic systems, as noted on Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish. However, it appears that CRSP may be a predecessor or related entity to the current Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish, with the latter being the active program under USAID funding. The CRSP’s latest news dates back to 2021, suggesting it may not be currently operational, but its past work in Kenya indicates potential overlap or confusion in program identification.

Other USAID-funded initiatives in Kenya were explored, such as those mentioned in USAID Kenya, which highlight broader agricultural and economic support, including the Kenya Livestock Market Systems (LMS) Activity under Feed the Future. However, specific aquaculture grants listed, like the ABDP (Aquaculture Business Development Program), are funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), not USAID, as seen on fundsforNGOs. This narrows the focus back to the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish as the primary USAID-funded aquaculture program affected.

Table of Affected Activities in Kenya

To organize the findings, the following table lists the identified activities under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish in Kenya that are likely stopped due to the funding freeze:

Note: The exact scope of “Fish for Food and Feed in Africa” in Kenya requires further detail, but it is included as part of the lab’s stopped activities.

Implications and Uncertainties

The stop-work order for the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish implies that all ongoing activities, including those in Kenya, are halted, affecting small-scale farmers, research, and capacity-building efforts. The broader impact includes potential delays in nutritional improvements and economic benefits, as highlighted by aquaculture specialists like Kevin Fitzsimmons, who warned of negative ripple effects globally, as reported on February 14, 2025, by SeafoodSource Closure of USAID fishery, aquaculture programs will hurt US seafood sector, aquaculture consultant warns.

There is uncertainty regarding whether other minor USAID-funded aquaculture projects in Kenya exist outside this lab, given the lack of specific mentions in recent searches. The complexity arises from historical programs like CRSP, which may confuse the landscape, but current evidence leans toward the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish being the primary affected program.

Conclusion

In summary, the USAID contract freeze, as of March 6, 2025, has disrupted the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish’s activities in Kenya, stopping key programs such as training smallholder fish farmers and the Achieving Coral Reef Fishery Sustainability activity. These disruptions are part of a broader impact on Africa’s aquaculture sector, with potential ripple effects on food security and livelihoods. While other programs may be affected, the evidence points primarily to this lab, with ongoing research needed to clarify any additional impacts.

Key Citations

• USAID contract freeze disrupts Africa aquaculture programs
• Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish
• Closure of USAID fishery, aquaculture programs will hurt US seafood sector, aquaculture consultant warns
• USAID Kenya
• Apply Now: Latest Funding Opportunities for advancing Education, Health, Agriculture and Water-Sanitation in Kenya
• With U.S. help, Kenya aims to boost economy via fish farming
• Role of multilateral development organizations, public and private investments in aquaculture subsector in Kenya