The Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MoFA) has taken a major step toward transforming Ghana’s fisheries and aquaculture sector following high-level strategic discussions with the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), China’s leading national fisheries research institution.
The engagement, led by the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur , forms part of the Government of Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme (24H+), which aims to strengthen food security, create jobs, expand exports and enhance industrial competitiveness through strategic international partnerships.
Held at the headquarters of CAFS in Beijing, the meeting brought together senior officials from the Ministry, the 24H+ Secretariat and key Ghanaian economic institutions, alongside the leadership and technical directors of CAFS.
Addressing the meeting, Hon. Emelia Arthur reaffirmed that fisheries and aquaculture remain critical pillars of Ghana’s national development agenda, contributing significantly to food and nutrition security, employment creation, export earnings and the sustainable development of the Blue Economy. She outlined Government’s vision to build a resilient, well-governed and science-driven sector anchored on strong institutions, modern technology and data-led decision-making.
According to the Minister, the Ministry is deliberately pursuing research-led partnerships that will strengthen Ghana’s capacity in aquaculture expansion, fisheries resource management, disease control, value addition and human capital development.
The discussions build on the 66-year Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Ghana and China, with fisheries and aquaculture identified as priority areas for long-term cooperation. CAFS, which operates under China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, showcased its extensive technical and institutional capabilities, including a nationwide network of specialised fisheries and aquaculture research institutes, thousands of scientists and technical experts, advanced research vessels and laboratories, and active cooperation programmes across more than 40 countries, including several in Africa.
Key areas of cooperation explored included the expansion of aquaculture and mariculture to help close Ghana’s fish supply gap. These discussions focused on marine fish farming systems, diversification beyond tilapia, inland and coastal cage farming, and scaling production to meet domestic demand while supporting export growth.
The talks also covered capture fisheries and sustainable resource management, with emphasis on joint fish stock assessments, marine surveys, research vessel collaboration, improved fisheries data systems, strengthened action against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and addressing the impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems.
On fish health and biosecurity, MoFA highlighted existing national gaps in disease surveillance and control. CAFS expressed readiness to support Ghana through the development of biosecurity frameworks, enhanced diagnostic and laboratory systems, and capacity building for fisheries officers and researchers.
Human capital development featured prominently in the discussions, with both sides exploring scholarship opportunities, postgraduate training programmes, technical exchanges, expert deployments and partnerships with Ghanaian universities and research institutions to strengthen national fisheries research infrastructure.
The engagement further identified fisheries infrastructure and value chain development as critical areas of cooperation, including fish processing and cold-chain systems, feed production, aquaculture demonstration parks and support for the Phase II development of Ghana’s Fisheries College.
As next steps, the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture will lead the drafting of a Framework Memorandum of Understanding with CAFS, identify priority joint research programmes, plan technical missions to Ghana, establish structured training and scholarship pipelines, and explore infrastructure collaboration and investment models. A joint working group involving MoFA, CAFS and the 24H+ Secretariat is expected to be established by February 2026, with pilot projects targeted for rollout by mid-2026.
The engagement positions fisheries and aquaculture as a strategic anchor of Ghana–China cooperation, aligned with national food security objectives, export expansion under the AfCFTA framework, research-driven policy and governance, sustainable Blue Economy growth, and long-term skills and institutional development.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that international partnerships translate into tangible benefits for fishers, fish farmers, processors and coastal communities across Ghana
