IVORY COAST – Ivory Coast fisheries and aquaculture sector is receiving financial support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) as part of a plan to enhance the industry between 2025 and 2029.
The bank’s Board of Directors has approved a loan amounting to approximately US$25.M, aimed at advancing fish farming and fisheries activities across the country.
AfDB reports that the initiative will benefit around 700,000 individuals, either directly or indirectly, over the five-year period.
The project, known as the Development of Competitive Aquaculture and Fisheries Value Chains, seeks to strengthen the country’s blue economy, a sector showing steady growth.
The initiative will prioritize modernizing fishing practices and supporting both public and private fish farms in areas such as Loka, Dompleu, and Jacqueville in the southern and western regions.
Coastal regions, including Abidjan, Jacqueville, and Assinie in the south, as well as San Pedro, Tabou, Grand Béréby, and Sassandra in the southwest, are slated to benefit from the funding.
Additionally, the program will address inland water areas, including rivers, artesian wells, floodplains, and low-lying regions in Man, Bouaké, Toumodi, Yamoussoukro, Soubré, and Béoumi.
The Kossou and Buyo dam lakes are also identified as key focus areas.
The announcement comes as discussions around Africa’s blue economy gain momentum.
The Ocean Innovation Africa Summit, held in Cape Town in February 2024, highlighted the economic potential of sustainable marine resources on the continent.
That said, Côte d’Ivoire’s seafood production reached 105,219 metric tons in 2019, a 60% increase over ten years.
Artisanal fishing accounts for 75% of catches, while industrial fishing contributes 20%.
However, aquaculture, despite recording a 70% growth over the last decade, remains a minor contributor to the country’s total output.
Popular farmed species include tilapia, catfish, and African arowana.
Despite these gains, Côte d’Ivoire imports about 182,000 tons of fish annually to meet its domestic demand of 650,000 tons.
The country exports a portion of its seafood but remains a net importer to cover the shortfall.
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