Fisheries Sector Targets Aquaculture Growth to Close US$800m Supply Gap
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
Ghana is intensifying efforts to scale up aquaculture production and attract foreign investment as part of a broader strategy to close an estimated US$800 million annual fish supply gap, strengthen food security, create jobs, and drive sustainable growth in the fisheries sector.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) says aquaculture expansion has become increasingly urgent, as pressure mounts on depleted marine fish stocks and domestic production continues to lag behind national demand.
Sector Minister, Madam Emelia Arthur, disclosed this during a high-level engagement in Beijing with officials of China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), led by Mr Han Jun, Secretary of the Communist Party of China’s Leadership Group. The meeting formed part of efforts to deepen Ghana–China cooperation in fisheries and aquaculture development, investment, and technology transfer.
According to the Minister, Ghana’s annual fish demand currently stands at about 1.28 million metric tonnes, while domestic production is estimated at approximately 684,000 metric tonnes, leaving a supply shortfall of about 390,000 metric tonnes, valued between US$600 million and US$800 million each year.
She said government is targeting aquaculture production of 177,000 metric tonnes by 2027, with particular focus on tilapia farming, which has emerged as the most viable option for closing the supply gap.
Madam Arthur noted that the push towards aquaculture is being driven largely by the sharp decline in marine fish stocks. Key species such as sardinella, which historically formed the backbone of Ghana’s marine fisheries, have fallen to about 13.8 percent of sustainable levels, raising concerns over long-term stock viability.
“The fisheries and aquaculture sector remains central to Ghana’s food security, job creation and economic transformation agenda,” the Minister said, adding that government was repositioning the sector through science-based management, aquaculture expansion, value addition, and strategic international partnerships.
At the meeting, MoFAD presented a Ghana–China Fisheries Partnership Framework, outlining Ghana’s vision for a sustainable, resilient, and investment-ready fisheries and aquaculture sector that supports national development while safeguarding aquatic ecosystems.
Madam Arthur highlighted Ghana’s vast natural endowments, including Lake Volta, the world’s largest artificial lake, covering about 8,502 square kilometres. She noted that the lake is currently utilised at less than five percent of its aquaculture potential, presenting significant opportunities for large-scale, year-round fish farming under favourable water and climatic conditions.
She further identified several high-impact investment opportunities for Chinese enterprises, including fish feed manufacturing, specific pathogen-free (SPF) hatcheries, cold chain and storage infrastructure, and modern fish processing facilities.
The Minister observed that post-harvest losses remain a major structural challenge, estimated at 25 to 50 percent in inland fisheries and 10 to 20 percent in marine fisheries, while deep processing accounts for less than 10 percent of total output.
“These gaps present enormous opportunities for investment in large-scale fillet and surimi processing capacity in the country,” she said.
Potential investors were assured of flexible investment models, including wholly owned ventures, joint ventures, public-private partnerships (PPPs), and technology licensing arrangements, supported by incentives under Ghana’s Free Zones regime, such as tax holidays, duty exemptions, and unrestricted repatriation of profits.
Madam Arthur reaffirmed MoFAD’s commitment to leading a science-driven, inclusive, and investment-ready transformation of Ghana’s fisheries and aquaculture sector, expressing confidence that strengthened cooperation with China would accelerate sustainable growth and advance Ghana’s broader blue economy agenda.
