A joint delegation from the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is currently in Côte d’Ivoire to evaluate the progress and impact of the FISH4ACP Program.
The evaluation, which began on May 21, just two days before the official opening of the 7th edition of the Agricultural and Animal Resources Exhibition (SARA), focuses on the program’s efforts to significantly increase national tilapia production. Implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), FISH4ACP aims to boost Côte d’Ivoire’s tilapia output from an estimated 7,000-9,000 tonnes to an ambitious 90,000 tonnes by 2030.
On-the-ground progress and farmer testimonials
During their visit, delegation members and FAO representative Joseph Nyemah inspected two pilot tilapia farms supported by the FISH4ACP program, as well as a private hatchery. They observed considerable progress in the field, indicating the program’s positive impact.
In Ayame, located in southeast Côte d’Ivoire (Sud-Comoe region), the delegation visited a farm utilizing ten floating cages on the Bia River. A beneficiary of FISH4ACP since 2023, this farm has dramatically increased its production capacity. “Since the implementation of the FISH4ACP program, the training and equipment provided by the FAO have been decisive,” reported the fish farmer. “We have been able to modernize our facilities, adopt sustainable practices, improve our farming techniques and, in turn, our productivity.”
The farmer further shared their commitment to reinvesting profits: “We reinvest the income from fish sales to achieve the target of 10 tonnes of tilapia per month that we set for ourselves as part of this project.”
Supporting food security and job creation
Joseph Nyemah of the FAO highlighted the vast potential he observed, particularly with the involvement of women and youth in fish farming, alongside the adoption of innovative and sustainable practices. He noted that Côte d’Ivoire currently imports 80 percent of its fishery product consumption, underscoring the critical need for local production growth.
“For us, it is essential to support fish farming. FISH4ACP contributes not only to food security, but also to job creation,” Nyemah added. He emphasized that these positive results “offer opportunities for collaboration with partners to achieve greater results at the national level.”
Gilles van de Walle, Senior Technical Advisor for the FISH4ACP Program, reassured local stakeholders of the partners’ continued support, aiming to fully contribute to Côte d’Ivoire’s goal of food sovereignty.
With the encouraging outcomes observed so far, the FISH4ACP program is well-positioned to contribute significantly to achieving Côte d’Ivoire’s 2030 tilapia production targets. This program, an initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), is executed by the FAO and receives funding from both the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
AP/Sf/fss/abj/APA