The Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, says the passage of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Act, 2025 is a reaffirmation of government’s strong commitment to developing Ghana’s aquaculture sector, describing it as a key driver of food security, job creation, and inclusive economic growth.

According to her, aquaculture has become a major force for innovation, dialogue, and collaboration, helping to grow a sector that is now central to Ghana’s economic diversification and sustainable development.

Launching this year’s Aquaculture Ghana Conference in Accra yesterday, Professor Opoku-Agyemang noted that aquaculture was more than just producing fish, but about improving nutrition, creating jobs, supporting rural economies, and driving industrial growth through value addition, trade, and technology.

She added that fish currently provides about 60 per cent of the country’s protein consumption, stressing that Ghana could and should do better.

“The sector sustains millions of people, including hatchery operators, feed producers, processors, traders, and exporters. It empowers youth and women through entrepreneurship and inclusive participation,” she indicated.

The Vice President pointed out that over the past decade, aquaculture had become the fastest-growing food production sector in Ghana, increasing from less than 45,000 metric tonnes in 2015 to about 120,000 metric tonnes in 2024.

This progress, she mentioned, was encouraging but also showed the need for more work to meet national demand and reduce fish imports.

“Aquaculture has been identified as a strategic pillar for transforming Ghana’s food systems and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” she noted.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang said aquaculture naturally aligns with the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative, which aims to create decent jobs, stimulate productivity, and ensure continuous production.

She explained that aquaculture activities such as hatcheries, feed mills, cold storage, and processing could run around the clock, making them ideal for inclusion in the Grow24 programme.

According to her, the government’s Blue Economy Strategy seeks to use aquatic resources for sustainable growth and job creation, with inland aquaculture seen as key to rural transformation, climate resilience, and youth employment.

The Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Madam Emelia Arthur, highlighted that the government, in partnership with the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana, was committed to building a vibrant and sustainable industry that supports food security, job creation, and economic development.

Mrs Arthur also underlined that Aquaculture Ghana, since its start in 2022, had grown into more than a conference, saying, “It has become a marketplace of ideas, a showcase of new technologies, and a celebration of the people driving the sector’s success.”

As part of the new law, government would also launch an Aquaculture Development Fund to expand access to finance, improve infrastructure, and promote research and technology transfer across the value chain.