Ghanaian minister terms fisheries and aquaculture sector a matter of food, nutritional and national security.
by Blue Africa News
The government of Ghana is intensifying efforts to develop a modern, competitive, climate-resilient and environmentally responsible aquaculture sector, the country’s minister for fisheries and aquaculture Emelia Arthur has said.
Addressing participants during the second Sea the Future Summit in Israel (13-15 Jan, 2026), the minister said the efforts seek to boost food security, create jobs and ensure sustainable management of aquatic resources, while adapting to the impacts of climate change.
Aquaculture, the minister said, is not just an option for Ghana, stating that it is “a strategic necessity.”
“60 percent of our animal protein comes from fish,” the minister said during a panel discussion comprising Avi Decter, Israel’s minister of agriculture and food security, and Ranjiv Rajan Singh, India’s minister of fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying, among others.
The Ghanaian minister said comparatively, only 9 percent of animal protein in Israel come from fish, underscoring the need for huge public-private investments in the fisheries sector in her country.
For Ghana, she noted, fisheries and aquaculture is a matter of national security. “Now, 10 percent of our population, about 3 million people, depend on the fisheries value chain for survival. So, fisheries and aquaculture for us is a matter of food security, nutritional security and even, if you like, national security.”
Ghana has employed the four-year National Aquaculture Development Plan (2024–2028) to help first-track the country’s vision of doubling commercial farmed fish production from 116,000 metric tonnes in 2023 to nearly 239,000 metric tonnes by 2028.
Among others, the plan also seeks to increase farmed fish’s market share from 14 percent to 25 percent, and boost sector value from US$132 million to over US$314 million.
Key priorities, the minister said, include environmental sustainability, fish health, food safety, regulatory compliance, and the creation of meaningful employment opportunities, particularly for youth and women, which she said will be achieved through local and international collaborations.
“We have strong interest in international collaborations in research, innovation, training, technology transfer, and trade. Priority areas include genetic improvement, alternative and sustainable feeds, precision aquaculture, energy-efficient production systems, and the strengthening of regional value chains,” she noted, inviting the summit’s participants to visit and explore Ghana’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.
She held bilateral meetings with her counterparts from Israel, India, and Azerbaijan, exploring opportunities for cooperation in aquaculture development, research and innovation, capacity building, technology transfer, and trade, expressing optimism that these engagements will yield practical partnerships and positive outcomes, in due course.
“The future of food is one we must build together,” she concluded.
The Sea the Future Summit 2026 brought together global leaders, innovators, and experts dedicated to advancing sustainable food production in arid, and marine environments.
The focus was on blue food security in a changing climate, with an emphasis on innovation, resilience, and collaborations.
Amidst efforts by the government to increase fish production, the country still faces a myriad of challenges which call for urgent address for the efforts to have far-reaching positive implications. Funding is one of the major challenges.
According to a 2024 review of fisheries and aquaculture policies in Ghana, the Fisheries Commission does not seem to receive adequate financial support despite the establishment of the Fisheries Fund.
“This further undermines the effectiveness of the aquaculture interventions given the potential contribution of this sector. The Akosombo tilapia strain, which has been a success in Ghana, now needs to be upgraded. There is a need for continuous research into fish breeding to ensure that the sector has quality fish seed with good growth performance, disease resistance, and tolerance to a wide range of temperature fluctuations. New culturable species are also needed to increase variety and keep the industry vibrant,” the review reads, in part.
Oliver Ochieng, Blue Africa News
