Ghana has launched Africa’s first Food Innovation Hub (FIH) under the World Economic Forum initiative, positioning the country as a continental leader in transforming blue food systems and advancing sustainable food security.

The hub is designed to accelerate innovation across Ghana’s blue food sector, including fisheries, aquaculture, seaweed production, processing, cold chain logistics, markets and trade. Strengthening these value chains is expected to drive enterprise development, create jobs, reduce poverty, and attract investment across Africa.

The initiative, implemented through the Food Innovators Network (FIN), will enable other regional hubs to share insights, mobilise partnerships, and strengthen innovation ecosystems.

Ghana’s hub will serve as a platform for stakeholders to identify investable opportunities and pilot scalable solutions adaptable across the continent.

The launch brought together policymakers, private sector leaders, development partners, and technical experts to align on priority themes and explore how coordinated policy, capital and market action could unlock growth in Africa’s blue food economy.

Intentionality

Speaking at the launch at the Marriott Hotel in Accra, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Emelia Arthur, described the initiative as a “deliberate, strategic and intentional” partnership aimed at transforming fisheries and aquaculture into a resilient pillar of national and continental development.

She said more than three million Ghanaians depended directly or indirectly on the sector, particularly in coastal and inland communities.

“Fisheries and aquaculture are not just economic activities; they are a matter of national security,” Ms Arthur stated and stressed the need for sustainable resource management amid climate change and financing challenges.

She highlighted the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146) as a major reform promoting governance, responsible investment, and aquaculture growth. She also stressed closer collaboration with the agriculture sector through the Feed Ghana Programme to support local maize and soya production for aquaculture feed.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana, Jacob Adzikah, said Ghana’s hub was the first of its kind in Africa and was designed to unlock innovation, attract investment and create sustainable livelihoods, especially for women, youth and marginalised groups.

He said the hub aimed to mobilise at least US$10 million in private investment by 2032 and would soon launch an accelerator programme for SMEs and start-ups.

The Board Chairman of the Chamber, Henry Anim-Somuah, pledged strong governance and results-driven leadership, calling for sustained support from government, industry, research and development partners.

The National Lead of World Food Forum Ghana and Founder of the Agrihouse Foundation, Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, underscored the importance of cross-sector collaboration and described the hub as a critical platform for delivering inclusive, scalable solutions for Africa’s blue economy.