Unlocking aquaculture`s potential: Northern Ghana stakeholders co-design sustainable fish farming models
CGIAR 28.07.25
With marine fish stocks declining and rural livelihoods under strain, small reservoirs in northern Ghana are emerging as promising alternatives for aquaculture-based food and income security. On June 10, 2025, 37 stakeholders from policymakers and researchers to fish farmers and private sector actors gathered in Tamale, Ghana to co-design inclusive, sustainable aquaculture business models tailored for northern Ghana. The event, hosted by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), was convened under the CGIAR Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods (SAAF) Science Program.
Participants included representatives from national and regional government and regulatory bodies such as the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, the Fisheries Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Northern Development Authority as well as research and development organizations, including IWMI and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Water Research Institute (CSIR-WRI). The private sector was represented by fish feed suppliers, hatcheries, private fish farmers, and aggregators. Community-based organizations also participated, including fish farmer groups and local leaders. This diversity ensured a rich exchange of perspectives on aquaculture development, regulation, and market systems.
The workshop built on research insights from IWMI’s aquaculture pilots in the North-East Region, which explore how small reservoirs can support fish culture, improve food security and diversify livelihoods especially in climate affected rural communities.
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