Dickson Mizinga

Crab shack enterprise was started by Dabaso Creek Conservation Group in 2018 with the motive of providing employment and also funding conservation activities to mitigate climate change. Crab shack is found in Dabaso village which is comprised of approximately 15,000 people of which more than 3/4 are living below the poverty line. This has affected the community educational background thus barring them from getting employment. The village was therefore largely depending on subsistence farming and artisanal fishing but it's no longer sustainable due to the massive destruction of the mangrove forest by the community. The destruction has affected farmers negatively due to change of whether patterns hence giving them low yields and further reduced fish catch by fishermen because of the destruction of the fish breeding areas. The 32km.sq Mida creek being a man and biosphere reserve deserved to be protected but that was not the case and therefore Dabaso creek came in to address the problem. The group deliberately came in to stop the commercial mangrove harvesting and the use of illegal fishing practices and in return it started an alternative livelihood enterprise the ‘Crab shack’ deliberately to provide employment to the farmers and fishers who had turned out to be mangrove loggers after their livelihoods were destroyed. Dabaso village has over 200 fishermen, 50 women fish mongers and over 3000 farmers who were left desperate thus hanging their last hopes to the Crab shack enterprise to save their life. GOALS &OBJECTIVES CRAB SHACK BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION: Crab shack has been funding all programs aiming at mitigating climate change where a total of 3 million trees has been planted since 2018. This have impacted the recovery of the mangrove forest in Mida creek thus raising fish and birds' population hence giving fishermen a good daily catch. Equally the recovery of the mangrove forest raised bird’s population, hence promoting tourism. This sector has employed 10 people who do canoe riding and earning themselves a daily bread. Crab shack has been funding the annual conservation programs for Dabaso creek conservation group since 2018 with an average budget of ksh500, 000 annually which caters for Mangrove planting activities, beach and village clean ups, community awareness meetings and Mangrove patrol programs PORVERTY ERADICATION: Crab shack has been in the forefront in providing employment opportunities to the Dabaso and Mida creek communities through different livelihood opportunities. Amongst them being the 120-capacity setter crab shack restaurant which have a total of 53 employees, the birds watching business having 10 employees, the crab fattening project having 3 employees and the recently started tour company ending the list with 2 employees. This enterprise is also an indirect beneficiary to over 2000 people who do different activities on transport services, supplies and guiding. These include the local fish and crab suppliers, the mama mbogas who supply vegetables, the local shops who supply dry goods and drinks, the local people who supply chicken, the boda boda riders, and beach and tour operators, taxi drivers and hotels who coordinate and bring us clients from different places. This opportunity has greatly improved the standard of living of the entire community resulting to improved standards of living and education. This data no doubt proves that crab shack is the only solution to the people of Mida although the numbers need to be raised with acquisition of funds. In an effort to increase employability, crab shack intends to upgrade the crab fattening project which is the 3rd income earner bagging an average income of ksh1.4 m followed by canoe riding with ksh3.6m and the restaurant leading with an average income of ksh.35M annually. We want to upgrade the crab project because we have seen a very big potential in matters demand because we don’t have a competitor. We have a very big market share considering the over 10 hotels we have in watamu which needs an average supply of 300kgs of crabs in a month. As we speak, we are only operating with 926 cages having a currying capacity of 250 kgs against the monthly demand of 300kgs. Our intention is to increase the cages to 2000 pcs which will comfortably accommodate 500kgs. By upgrading this farm, we shall be increasing income as well as promoting employability especially to the local crab fishers who have for long been travelling distances to look for market. Equally we introduced value addition where crabs are value added to different products like crab samosas, sausages, cakes, cookies and other snacks which we are looking forward to coming and display them. they have proved to be more profitable than selling live crabs. Again, in the value addition sector we still need an upgrade of our infrastructure to fully tap this new market.