Aquaculture output in sub-Saharan Africa will double by 2023, according to new research by aquaculture consultant Lukas Manomaitis conducted for the U.S. Soybean Export Council.
Based on 2017 figures, production will rise from a current 442,500 metric tons (MT) to 803,500 MT in 2023, Manomaitis told SeafoodSource. The FAO calculated output in 2017 at 553,000 tons. The leading producer in the region is Nigeria, as ranked by total volume.
Extensive field research coordinated by Manomaitis and South African-based Lourens Francois de Wet shows the growth in regional aquaculture is being facilitated by major investments in feed production by Chinese, Israeli, and European firms.
Manomaitis said the continent is becoming increasingly alluring for aquaculture investors drawn in by growing demand and strong prices locally for farmed fish. At the same time, many national governments have begun prioritizing aquaculture – especially farms growing tilapia and catfish – as a means to ensure food security in the face of growing populations and overexploited wild fish stocks.
Photo courtesy of WorldFish
