Last week, we welcomed a team from the Ministry of Agriculture to Vemric Fish Processors in Siaya County, as part of our ongoing engagement with fisherfolk and other actors across the Lake Victoria fish value chain. This work sits within the AGF–Equity Bank–TAC Capacity Development and Investment Readiness Programme, which is now moving into implementation. Vemric is already part of TAC’s operating ecosystem. Its day-to-day work in fish aggregation, processing and cold-chain management gives us a practical lens through which to understand where value is lost — and where it can be retained. During the engagement, we looked at what happens after fish leaves the landing site: icing and transport, aggregation and purchasing, processing, cold-chain management and connecting products to markets. We also engaged with fisherfolk involved in Omena processing, including its nutritional value and the important role of women in this part of the value chain. For us, better processing is not only about product quality. It is also about hygiene, working conditions and safer, more dignified livelihoods. This is where capacity to capital becomes practical. Stronger operations, better records, market access and risk management are not ends in themselves. They are part of the investment-readiness journey — helping viable enterprises and organised producer groups become better positioned for appropriate finance. We are not building a parallel structure. We are strengthening what already exists — our people, businesses, networks and infrastructure and connecting it more effectively to opportunity. A lake is more than the fish it produces. If we followed the journey of value around Lake Victoria — from the health of the lake and landing sites, through infrastructure, fishing, handling, processing, markets and livelihoods — where are we losing the most value today? And perhaps more importantly: what are we overlooking? #VemricFishProcessors #LakeVictoria #Omena #Fisheries #BlueEconomy #CapacityToCapital #InvestmentReadiness #ColdChain #ValueAddition #FoodSystems #Kenya