Overview
About Turkana
The Lake Turkana Research Station operates in one of Africa's most extreme and scientifically significant environments — the world's largest permanent desert lake and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Established in 1984, the station monitors the lake's unique alkaline ecology, tracks fish population dynamics, and studies the impact of climate variability and upstream water abstractions on this critical but fragile ecosystem. Lake Turkana supports one of Kenya's most isolated fishing communities, and KMFRI's research underpins management decisions for the Nile perch and tilapia fisheries that are central to Turkana County's food security.
At a Glance
Established
1984
Ecosystem
Freshwater (Lake Turkana)
Email
turkana@kmfri.go.ke
Address
P.O. Box 10–30500
Kalokol, Turkana County, Kenya
Kalokol, Turkana County, Kenya
Coordinates
3°33′N, 35°55′E
Research
Research Focus Areas
Desert Lake Ecology
Monitoring alkalinity, salinity, stratification, and primary productivity in Lake Turkana's unique physicochemical environment.
Nile Perch & Tilapia Assessment
Population surveys, growth studies, and yield modelling for the commercially important Nile perch and Nile tilapia fisheries of Lake Turkana.
Climate Change Impacts
Long-term monitoring of lake level fluctuations, temperature trends, and effects of upstream Omo River dams and irrigation abstractions.
Socio-economic Fisheries
Household surveys and value-chain analysis for Turkana fishing communities, including post-harvest losses and market access studies.
Infrastructure
Infrastructure & Facilities
- Field research laboratory
- Research vessels
- Limnological sampling equipment
- Sample preservation and cold-storage units
- Meteorological monitoring station