One Health and Food Safety Risks in Integrated Aquaculture Systems for a Sustainable Blue Economy in Kenya

Integrated aquaculture–agriculture (IAA) systems are rapidly expanding across Kenya’s irrigation landscapes, contributing to food security, livelihood diversification, and climate resilience within the emerging blue economy. However, increased nutrient loading and connectivity between aquatic and terrestrial systems present growing risks of environmental pollution, harmful algal blooms, and aquatic food safety hazards, necessitating a One Health approach that integrates human, animal, and ecosystem health. This study assessed environmental management practices, biosecurity measures, post-harvest handling systems, and institutional readiness for One Health implementation across six counties in Kenya. A mixed-methods approach combined structured surveys of 64 farmers with 12 key informant interviews and six focus group discussions. Results indicate partial adoption of climate-smart practices, with 79% of farmers applying organic fertilisation and 81% reporting some level of water quality monitoring. However, over 60% rely on visual assessment, limiting early detection of microbial contamination and cyanobacterial bloom risks. Ecosystem-based biosecurity measures such as vegetative buffer zones remain limited (7–17%), while adoption of advanced water management technologies, including biofloc systems, is negligible (≤3%). Post-harvest inefficiencies persist, with up to 18.2% of farmers using ambient transport without ice and more than 70% lacking access to cold-chain infrastructure. Capacity and governance gaps are evident, with only 45% of farmers trained on food safety and policy awareness below 12%. These findings highlight systemic vulnerabilities in aquatic food systems. Strengthening low-cost monitoring, ecosystem-based management, cold-chain investment, and cross-sectoral coordination is critical for resilient and safe aquaculture.