The African aquaculture sector has formally committed to the establishment of the African Aquaculture Business Leaders Network (AABLN), which will aim to advance industry sustainability through pre-competitive collaboration following the model of the Global Salmon Initiative (GSI).

The AABLN was formally established in December 2024 at a meeting funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, where leaders from 22 companies came together to share knowledge and goals around Africa’s pressing environmental sustainability and food security needs.

The GSI, which has achieved success under a similar model proposed by the representatives, has won a three-year grant from the foundation to support the AABLN’s development.

"There is huge unrealized potential in African aquaculture and with greater investment and growth there is the opportunity to not only feed more people in a healthy a sustainable way but give more employment opportunities to local communities and the next generation,” said Caesar Asiyo, the chief development officer at tilapia-producing firm Victory Farms and the new chair of the AABLN. “Africa is a huge underserved market that is rich in natural resources and has a young population eager to innovate. If we act now, aquaculture can be part of the region’s promising future.” 

The AABLN’s goals include increasing awareness of and investment opportunities in the Sub-Saharan aquaculture sector, supporting technology transfer between companies and regions, enhancing training and skills development – especially for female workers – and sharing knowledge and building greater awareness about biosecurity risks. 

“Within this group, we have the expertise to make a significant difference, and by mobilizing this collective knowledge, we have the opportunity to identify action initiatives to address current barriers to growth and support industry advancements," Asiyo said.

GSI Co-Chair Aino Olaisen, who is also the board chair at Norwegian salmon-farming firm Nova Sea, said that the grant allows GSI to play a unique role in enhancing global sustainability.

"The Gates Foundation has turned to GSI to share our expertise in mobilizing the collective knowledge and entrepreneurial spirit of the private sector to help overcome barriers to industry growth and identify opportunities to increase food production in Africa, and we are committed to helping the development of the global sector to meet nutrition and health goals,” Olaisen said. 

The AABLN is inviting members of the African aquaculture industry to join its network.

Source - https://www.seafoodsource.com