The research we conduct under the Natural Products and Post- Harvest Technogies in the Department of Fisheries in KMFRI has this goal:  “Sustainable utilization of fisheries and production of aquatic natural products, by-products and bio-products for economic gain in the Blue Economy leading to job creation, income, health, food and nutrition security.”

Our first strategic objective is the improvement of processing/production systems for aquatic products  to control post-harvest losses using climate-smart technologies and produce higher quality products.  The technologies for post- harvest control in the dry chain are the rack dryers and in the marine sardines (Dagaa), improved drying of the whole process-line; introduction of solar dryers, solar tunnel dryers and the African continent award-winning Hybrid windmill solar tunnel dryer and recently the Solcooldry cooling and drying facility both aiming to dry during all weather conditions using green energy and to produce ice. In the smoked fish chain, improved fish smoking ovens consuming 60% less wood fuel with better quality products have been developed an in use and for the fried fish chain involving the “Mama Karanga” women, an  improved fried fish display shelf :”The Mama Karanga Box” , an innovation in which kerosene burning tin wick lamps  that generate smoke resulting in respiratory diseases for women and carbon footprint  is replaced by an ecofriendly solar rechargeable lamp and  newspapers at the bottom base of the shelves are replaced with foodgrade aluminum layer for ease of cleaning.

The second strategic objective  is development of  high quality  fish/fishery  value added products including extrusion cooking and   development of  non-conventional value added fishery products like biopolymers (from macroalgae (seaweeds) and from shellfish waste (chitin/chitosan), gelatin, bipeptides,  protein isolates/hydrolysates, bone calcium among others for health, the industry, higher income, employment creation. 

The third strategic objective is Bio-prospecting for  pharmaceutical and medicinal products from different flora and fauna including antioxidants and nutraceuticals  from high value microalgae ;for industry . In Bioprospecting, we are involved in extraction, isolation, characterization and synthesis of bioactive compounds from marine flora and fauna and profiling for antioxidants towards industrial applications

The fourth strategic objective is engagement of  industry players to upscale relevant and promising selected products  in our innovations chain

The fifth strategic objective is to capacity-build local communities on best practices in fish handling and value addition, to reduce losses and product diversification for improved livelihoods.