Ghana’s rapidly growing aquaculture production (Figure 1) has made the country the second-largest tilapia producer in Africa. Several factors account for this growth—including the introduction of the improved Akosombo strain, government interventions, new local feed production companies, and increasing local demand—but the main driver is the establishment of large-scale commercial cage production on Lake Volta.
Figure 1. Ghana’s aquaculture production (tons)
Despite significant growth, the sector still faces several challenges. In particular, indiscriminate introduction of exotic fish species and antibiotic use have exposed domestic fish to disease, leading to mass fish mortality in 2018 and 2019. Tackling these challenges and sustaining growth require concerted government effort to formulate and implement relevant policies and regulations, and to drive needed investment in aquaculture. Ensuring buy-in means involving all sector stakeholders in developing and validating guidelines and protocols.
Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), the Fisheries Commission, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) under One CGIAR’s Resilient Aquatic Food Systems Initiative organized a two-day workshop in Accra on March 1–2, 2023, to develop guidelines for introducing and managing exotic fish strains in Ghana and review the National Aquaculture Code of Practice and Guidelines.
MoFAD Deputy Minister Hon. Moses Anim (MP), who gave the opening address on behalf of the sector minister, stated, “The issue of exotic fish strains, diversified cultured species and improved biosecurity measures is critical not just for profitability of the industry but has far reaching consequences on indigenous or local fish species and strains as well as the ecology and ecosystem of fish in Ghana.”
And Dr. Kofi Abban (now retired, formerly with the Water Research Institute), also a consultant, emphasized that “the importation of fish species or strains into Ghana or any country could be a potential national disaster…. because importation could become a threat to biodiversity of the country….”
Mr. Lionel Awity (now retired; formerly with the Fisheries Commission), who consulted on the development of the two national protocols noted that “the National Aquaculture Code of Practice and Guidelines …. complements FAO’s efforts in relevant provisions in Article 9 – Aquaculture Development – of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF), at both national and regional levels. Its implementation will facilitate business in aquatic species and avoid trade barriers based on aquatic animal health issues.”
The workshop included a short dialogue on the future of Ghana’s aquaculture sector with a focus on potential new sources of growth. Insights from this dialogue will inform a modeling and foresight analysis on prioritizing policy and investment options for triggering growth. That analysis, led by IFPRI, will employ the Rural Investment and Policy Analysis (RIAPA) model and build on findings from the recent Tilapia Seed Project (TiSeed) implemented in seven regions in Ghana.
The workshop was attended by 36 representatives from key domestic and international aquaculture industry players: the Department of Fisheries and Natural Resources from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Department of Fisheries from the University of Ghana, Environmental Protection Agency, Fish Farmers Association, Fisheries Commission, Food and Agriculture Organization, Food and Drugs Authority, Ghana Aquaculture Association, MoFAD, National Biosafety Authority, University of Development Studies, Veterinary Services Department of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Water Research Institute, International Food Policy Research Institute, International Water Management Institute, and Virginia Tech University (United States).
Participants in group discussions stressed the need for protocols to effectively guide importation and management of imported exotic fish strains, which they said will require establishing a national quarantine facility, enacting regulations to operationalize the guidelines, and ensuring the guidelines fall within existing regulations and laws. They also indicated the need to inform neighboring countries about the introduction of foreign strains into Lake Volta and to boost local production of fish feeds to help curtail the high cost of feed and support future growth of the sector.
At the end of the workshop, participants critically reviewed two draft national protocols, which will be finalized at a validation workshop in April 2023.
Participants in the plenary session
Participants during group discussions