Nile tilapia is a tropical species native to Africa, the culture of which can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Tilapia is the main fish species farmed in Côte d'Ivoire with an annual production of some 7 700 tonnes.

Côte d'Ivoire’s domestic demand for fish of 650 000 tonnes per year far outweighs national production of about 110 000 tonnes. This makes Côte d’Ivoire heavily reliant on fish imports.

FISH4ACP is promoting sustainable growth of the Nile tilapia sector in Côte d'Ivoire to support the country’s goal of meeting national demand in 2031. It works towards a more structured, sustainable and resilient tilapia value chain that generates jobs and business opportunities without adding pressure on the environment.

One of FISH4ACP’s priorities is to improve the availability of quality fingerlings and feed. Moreover, the initiative works closely with local cooperatives to reinforce capacities of value chain actors to upgrade the business model of their farms and support the creation of new ones.

Reinforcing compliance with environmental regulations through digital tracking will make production more sustainable, while improvements to the cold chain and better marketing will add value to home grown tilapia.