Less Timber, More Ocean: Fibre Glass Innovation For Cleaner Waters

By Nelly Moraa Nyangorora

Wood is the centre of boatmaking across most water sources in the world.

Climate change, marine pollution and innovations however has seen the transition of the traditional craftsmanship of boats into climate friendly options like fibre glass.

A paradigm shift noted by Prof Anyang Nyongo, a Governor in one of Kenya’s Counties, Kisumu during the commissioning of five modern artisanal fibreglass fishing boats.

The commissioning at the Kichinjio and Nanga beaches in Kisumu mid 2025, saw the unveiling of a patrol vessel and an upgraded landing site. County Kisumu

 “The fibreglass boats are the future. They are engineered for stability and durability, directly addressing the tragic loss of life on the lake. They are also powerful economic tools.

Water sources across Kenya, Ghana, Tanzania , Uganda among others are embracing the viable alternative of fibreglass boats - not only for performance and durability but for its potential to reduce environmental impacts, improve health outcomes and harness modern materials. 

Fibre glass is offering a compelling path forward for sustainable marine vessels.

From Kenya to Ghana, fibre glass is emerging as the viable option. Benedict Lamptey, the managing director, fibreglass, in Ghana says the Ghana Ports and Harbour Authority has spearheaded the construction of 20 fishing boats for use along the coastal belts of Ghana.

“With the advent of climate change where water bodies had become more turbulent for fishing and safe transport systems, what Ghana needed was fibre glass boats"

modernghana.com

BENEFIT	WOOD	FIBRE
Rot,Decay,Maintenance	Wood is vulnerable to pests, water damage, and requires intensive maintenance. Fibreglass has fewer replacements and less environmental costs over lifetime	Fibre glass protect against moisture, rot and decay extending lifespan sportsmanboatsmfg.com
Fuel efficiency/weight performance	Wooden boats are heavier thus more powerful engines ,more energy to move in the water	Fibreglass is lighter and can be moulded into smoother more efficient hulls- less fuel(energy) used-lower emissions

FIBRE GLASS BOATS OPERATIONS AT A GLANCE

Kenya: Kwale County / KEMFSED project	Kwale County distributed 13 fibreglass boats to fishermen and seaweed farmers to improve efficiency, productivity, food security, and income. The initiative is part of a broader blue economy effort. Kenya News
Kenya: Lake Turkana fisherfolk	Fishermen are moving from wooden canoes to fibreglass motorboats. Wooden hulls limited them to shallow waters; the newer fibre engine boats allow access to safer, deeper waters and improve livelihoods. NTV Kenya
Kenya: Kisumu County & Kenya Shipyards Limited (KSL)	Joint initiative to build modern fibreglass boats for fishermen in various sub-counties. Also developing patrol & surveillance vessels. Designed to improve safety, reduce accidents, improve fish storage (cooler boxes), etc. Capital FM+3kenyatribune.com+3Tnx Africa+3
Ghana: Fibreglass Ghana / Coastal & Volta regions	Fibreglass Ghana has built fishing boats for coastal belts and Volta Lake to replace dugout canoes. Advantages cited: greater stability, robustness under rough waters, fewer accidents, environmental benefit through reduced demand for timber. modernghana.com+1
Tanzania: DMG & Zanzibar Ministry of Blue Economy	Tanzania is constructing multiple fibreglass boats (of various sizes) to support local fishing, improve durability over wooden boats, enhancing safety and reducing maintenance costs. Also recognizing environmental and resource conservation benefits (less strain on wood) with increasing local boat manufacture. dmg.co.tz
Uganda (and Great Lakes region)	UEL Resins & Fibreglass Ltd builds fibreglass boats and marine structures for Rwanda, Uganda, Congo, Burundi, Kenya, Tanzania, South Sudan. The boats are promoted as lightweight, strong, resistant to water/weather/chemical ingress, useful lifespan of >30 years. uelresins.biz+1
Academic: University of Johannesburg research	There is research on using eco-friendly, recycled polymer composites in boat building (e.g. substituting or complementing fibreglass, using recycled plastics, polymers). This helps address disposal and environmental impact issues. University of Johannesburg

As Africa charts a path toward greener technologies, the steady penetration of fibre glass boats from Kenya’s Lake Victoria to Ghana’s coastal fisheries signals more than just an industry shift—it’s a climate-smart leap.

It is emerging as a durable, low-maintenance, and safer for both people and the planet. From enhancing marine protection to reducing deforestation pressures, they represent how innovation can float entire communities toward sustainability.

With governments, researchers, and local entrepreneurs all leaning in, the tide is clear: fibre glass is no longer the future of African waters—it’s already here, and it’s setting sail fast.

Climate Change: How Our Daily Life Actions Makes A Difference

By Nelly Moraa Nyangorora

Nairobi, Kenya plays host to climate conferences through the year, making it a focal point for climate action in Africa.

The  conferences seek to shape the continent's response to a warming world and set the agenda for the global conference of parties COP30 later in the year.

As leaders, policy makers and experts convene, majority of the populace go about their business oblivious of the gatherings held ostensibly to discuss their future.

It is easy to feel disconnected from these high level conversations; the barrage of climate news, the apocalyptic pronouncements, may create a climate news fatigue, overwhelming readers and making them unsure of their individual role.

The impact of climate change is not an abstract concept, in the erratic weather patterns, is the story of  food production and its availability, in the vibrant transport industry, is the issue of air quality and its link to health, increasing pressures on natural resources and its bearing on our whole lives, are issues that concern each one of us (UNEP 2023). 

It is within this context that this website emerges, to focus on global climate discourse and how it intertwines with our daily actions. 

Integrityallianceke.com  aims to explore our daily lives, the food we eat, its journey from farm to table and their environmental footprint. The choices about what we eat, how it is produced and how much we waste all add up to increased greenhouse gas emissions (FAO,2023).

Transportation is a major contributor to air pollution in Nairobi (Nairobi City County,2020).

The choices from using public transport, carpooling, cycling, electric vehicles transport have direct implications for our city’s air quality and carbon emissions.

What we consume is a factor too, opting for durable,locally sourced products and reducing overall consumption makes a difference.

These are stories we will be focusing on as we begin this journey on covering climate change, health and emerging technology.

The impacts of climate change such as increased air pollution and changes in disease patterns affect our physical and mental well being (ATACH, 2024)

We strive to walk to the farms, the kitchens, the waste bins , interact with communities, entrepreneurs, innovators of clean energy , commuters and their preferred models of transport, and health clinics to determine the prevalence of air pollution related illness, community efforts to promote clean air and individual efforts to keep the earth replenished. 

As conversations take shape and discussion centre on the worlds climate future, this website offers a complementary perspective.

We believe that meaningful climate action starts with understanding the connections in our own lives.

By providing accessible information and fostering a sense of  community we aim to empower individuals to make informed choices that contribute to a healthier sustainable future.

Join us as we analyse these daily actions, offering practical insights and inspiring stories of how we can all be part of the solution.

World Climate Engine: Conferences Keep Momentum, Despite US Withdrawal

By Moraa Nyangorora

The world prepares to once again meet for the annual UN climate change conference COP30 later in the year. Ahead of this event however there have been numerous conferences taking place around the world on climate.

Africa prepares to meet for the second climate summit in early September in Ethiopia. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC met in Kenya in July 2025, to develop their report on climate change and cities.

While this demonstrates the global recognition of climate change as a significant agenda, it is taking place against a crucial policy change by the United States. The US that officially rejoined the Paris agreement in early 2021 under Joe Biden's administration, is now shifting from the multilateral climate agreements and domestic regulation climate home news.

COP30 planned in Brazil for example is a critical forum for setting new financing goals. The absence of the US affects the Paris agreement on financial commitments which the US was party to.  This complicates access to funding that developing nations need for climate adaptation and mitigation Oxford Economics

The year has witnessed some roll back of climate policies following the significant executive actions by the US. Withdrawing from the Paris agreement, terminating the US international Climate Finance Plan impacts the global climate landscape American Action Forum.

The climate conference's focus is on transitioning to clean energy and sustainable practices. For Africa to effectively transition, financing is critical. The US policy shift contrasts with this focus.

Media coverage and public perception is becoming complex in this context. While Kenyan media may focus on the urgent local impacts, international media, mainly the US media will prioritise internal policy debates. This creates a dissonance in the global narrative . A local media outlet in Kenya may report on climate smart agriculture while also reporting on the US government's efforts to repeal clean energy tax subsidies and promote fossil fuel extraction.

However, despite the prevailing situation, the high number of conferences on issues like air quality, climate, and agriculture is a pointer that the world is moving forward with tangible solutions despite the political headwinds.

The conferences are keeping the global conversations on climate action alive.