Africa’s rising demand for aquatic meals creates a provide hole that sustainable aquaculture enlargement may assist shut
INFOGRAPHIC/AEN.
By PATRICK MAYOYO
The 2026 version of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, launched on Tuesday by the Meals and Agriculture Group of the United Nations (FAO) throughout the Our Ocean Convention in Mombasa, Kenya, finds that world manufacturing of aquatic animals and algae totalled 235 million tonnes in 2024.
Aquatic animal manufacturing alone hit a document 195 million tonnes, pushed largely by the speedy enlargement of aquaculture. Regardless of this progress, challenges stay in assembly demand in areas reminiscent of Africa.
Africa has the bottom availability of aquatic animal meals per capita globally, but these meals present a big share of animal protein throughout the continent – about 19 % on common.
“Throughout Africa, communities depend on aquatic animal meals for vitamin, and in some nations these meals present as a lot as 54 % of animal protein,” says Abebe Haile-Gabriel, FAO Assistant Director-Common and Regional Consultant for Africa.
“Their manufacturing additionally helps jobs, highlighting their essential position within the blue financial system, particularly for low-income and weak populations.”
Marine seize fisheries are a number one supply of aquatic animals for all the area, with 7.1 million tonnes produced in 2024. Morocco is the primary producer at nearly 1.4 million tonnes, adopted by Mauritania, Angola, Senegal and South Africa.
Inland fisheries present a key supply of meals and jobs, particularly in rural areas and in low-income and landlocked nations. They contributed 3.7 million tonnes of aquatic animals in 2024, a 3rd of all world inland catches.
In response to accessible information, manufacturing is unsurprisingly concentrated in nations with main freshwater techniques reminiscent of river basins and lakes. Among the many prime 5 producers, Uganda leads with output of simply over 0.5 million tonnes, adopted by the United Republic of Tanzania, Nigeria, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Aquaculture accounts for 18 % of complete aquatic animal manufacturing in Africa and is increasing quickly, with sturdy potential to assist meet rising demand and maintain the livelihoods of a rising inhabitants.
Globally, aquaculture has been the principle driver of progress in aquatic animal manufacturing. In Africa the sector is increasing on the quickest price on the earth, rising to over 2.4 million tonnes in 2024, a mean annual progress price of 8 % because the 12 months 2000 – effectively above the worldwide common of 5 % a 12 months over the identical interval.
Aquatic animal farming is very concentrated, with the highest 5 producing nations accounting for 90 % of the continent’s output. The main producer is Egypt with 1.6 million tonnes in 2024 (66 % of the regional complete), adopted by Nigeria, Ghana, Uganda and Zambia.
Fast inhabitants progress, urbanization, rising incomes and altering shopper preferences are driving rising demand for aquatic meals throughout Africa, putting rising strain on provide.
Whereas the overall per capita availability of aquatic animal meals in Africa has elevated over time, it stays the bottom on the earth at 9.1 kg per particular person per 12 months – lower than half the worldwide common of 21.1 kg per particular person per 12 months in 2023.
Round a 3rd of this availability comes from imports, supplementing home availability, based on the report. On the identical time, Africa maintains a optimistic commerce steadiness (USD 2 billion) and a internet achieve in protein (126 000 tonnes), because it exports high-value commodities and imports low-value, but nutrient-rich, aquatic animal merchandise that assist meals safety and vitamin.
Wanting forward, demand is anticipated to proceed rising. By 2034, Africa is projected to provide round 7 % of aquatic animals on the world degree, with fisheries and aquaculture output rising by 13 % in comparison with 2024.
Fisheries and aquaculture are estimated to assist 600 million livelihoods throughout the worth chain on the earth. Of those, 65.3 million individuals had been instantly employed within the major sector in 2024, and round 9 % had been based mostly in Africa, the second largest workforce globally.
Inland fisheries are a significant supply of jobs, notably in rural and landlocked elements of Africa, using 3.2 million fishers and accounting for 63 % of these employed in fisheries on the continent.
Aquaculture, regardless of its speedy progress employed 0.6 million individuals within the major sector in 2024, in comparison with a worldwide complete of 23.1 million fish farmers employed globally.
Most of these engaged within the sector are small-scale operators. Small-scale fisheries type the spine of each marine and inland manufacturing techniques. In Africa, these fisheries are deeply embedded in native economies and meals techniques, supporting family vitamin, subsistence actions and casual markets. Girls play a very vital position in post-harvest actions reminiscent of processing and advertising.
“When accounting for the total worth chain, together with casual and subsistence actions, the sector helps tens of hundreds of thousands of livelihoods throughout the African area, each instantly and not directly,” says Abebe Haile-Gabriel. “Strengthening fisheries and aquaculture shall be important to satisfy rising demand, enhance meals safety and maintain livelihoods throughout Africa.”
The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture is an FAO flagship report that analyses the standing and well being of world fishery shares in addition to tendencies in fisheries and aquaculture on the world and regional degree, together with information on manufacturing, commerce, employment and availability of fisheries and aquaculture merchandise.
