Aquatic value chains are worth investing in

Rome – FISH4ACP's recent virtual tour zoomed in on returns on investment in aquatic value chains, transporting a global online audience of around 150 stakeholders, experts, donors and members of the development community to Côte d’Ivoire and The Gambia.

"Aquatic foods are real super foods that improve diets, boost health, and strengthen food security all around the world – and beyond these nutritional impacts, they really drive economic and social progress," said Henrice Stöbesand, Senior Policy Officer from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), opening the event on 11 December 2025.

"If you ask if aquatic foods are worth investing in? We say: absolutely!"

Bridging the gap between finance and fish farmers in Côte d'Ivoire

The virtual tour kicked off in Côte d'Ivoire, where FISH4ACP has invested USD 90 000 to bring fish farmers and finance closer together, aiming to boost domestic tilapia production to reduce the country's dependence on imports.

FISH4ACP provided training to financial institutions to build their understanding of fish farming, lending and savings opportunities in the tilapia sector, and the financial needs of farmers. The initiative also taught fish farmers about business planning and loan readiness to make their operations more bankable.

"We now recognize the value of investing in aquaculture," said Ibrahima Koné, Director of Project Partnerships at UNACOOPEC, one of the microfinance partners of FISH4ACP in Côte d'Ivoire which dispersed the first 32 loans to fish farmers for a total of USD 84 000.

"Thanks to these loans, fish farmers have been able to expand their businesses and increase production through the purchase of feed, farm maintenance, and equipment," said Foungnigué Traoré, FISH4ACP National Professional Officer for Côte d’Ivoire.

The combined impact of FISH4ACP's investment is around USD 95 000 of value added per year.

Teaching Gambian oyster harvesters how to swim

Next, the virtual tour set course for The Gambia, where 120 women oyster harvesters learned how to swim through a six-week swimming programme led by the Gambian Navy with an investment of USD 55 000 by FISH4ACP. The course helped the women overcome their fear of drowning, while making oysters a more attractive sector for others.

"Now they understand the movement of the water and can react in emergency situations," said Captain Ebrima MS Jarju of The Gambia Navy, who led the training. He explained that the programme has made the women more secure, confident and efficient in their work.

Investments like the swimming programme promoting long-term social or environmental goals are becoming increasingly popular, according to Bénédicte Caremier, BlueInvest Africa Lead at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

"It is important to elaborate on the cost, the benefits and the results of these types of investments," said Caremier, who works to connect investors with African entrepreneurs in blue economy sectors. "Not only do you have to demonstrate that there is an impact, but you have to quantify the impact to attract investors."

Showcasing investment opportunities in aquatic value chains

With one year left to go, FISH4ACP, an initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) implemented by FAO with funding from the European Union (EU) and the BMZ, is spotlighting the returns on investment of nearly five years spent on upgrading aquatic value chains in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The investment cases from Côte d'Ivoire and The Gambia are part of a broader series of publications developed by FISH4ACP to analyze the costs and benefits of investing in fisheries and aquaculture, sum up key lessons learned, and present the potential for use elsewhere.

In closing the event, Anthony Brand, Acting Officer in Charge of the Department of Policies and Programmes at the OACPS, said: "Demonstrating that these investments generate financial returns and improve production, efficiency, safety and incomes is key to mobilizing resources to scale up aquatic value chains."