The Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana has officially unveiled the Blue Food Innovation Hub, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming the country’s fisheries and aquaculture sector through innovation, investment, and strategic partnerships.
The announcement was made by the Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Jacob Adzikah, during a media engagement in Accra ahead of the hub’s official launch scheduled for February 25.
According to Mr. Adzikah, the initiative is designed to position Ghana as a leading hub for sustainable blue food development in Africa.
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“The Blue Food Innovation Hub is meant to unlock knowledge, innovation, markets, and finance for businesses operating in the sector,” he said.
Mr. Adzikah disclosed that the hub is being developed in collaboration with the World Economic Forum, making it the first of its kind on the African continent.
He explained that the partnership will enable Ghana to benefit from global best practices, research, and investment opportunities in the blue food economy.
“With the strong support of the World Economic Forum, we are establishing Africa’s first Blue Food Innovation Hub here in Ghana,” he stated.
The CEO noted that the success of the project depends on broad-based collaboration among public institutions, private companies, and development partners.
Some of the key partners include AGRA, The Hunger Project, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, and agritech firm Farmerline.
“We have co-created this initiative with several partners to ensure that it delivers real and lasting impact,” Mr. Adzikah explained.
While the blue food sector covers marine, inland, and aquaculture systems, the hub will initially focus on inland aquaculture, which has shown significant growth potential in recent years.
Mr. Adzikah said the decision was informed by the sector’s ability to contribute to food security, job creation, and rural development.
“Inland aquaculture is showing enormous promise, and that is why we are starting from there,” he noted.
The Blue Food Innovation Hub is expected to tackle major constraints affecting the fisheries and aquaculture industry, including limited access to affordable financing, weak market linkages, low technology adoption, inadequate technical skills, and insufficient research and development, while creating opportunities for innovation, growth, and long-term sustainability across the sector.
According to Mr. Adzikah, the hub will serve as a one-stop centre for capacity building, innovation support, and business development.
“We want to help businesses overcome these barriers and scale up their operations sustainably,” he said.
The initiative will place strong emphasis on supporting startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have struggled to expand their operations.
Mr. Adzikah explained that many players in the sector have operated for years without access to modern tools, capital, and reliable markets.
“This hub will create opportunities for young entrepreneurs, women, and persons with disabilities to build viable businesses in the blue food value chain,” he stated.
The Chamber of Aquaculture has also aligned the hub with Ghana’s 24-hour economy policy, particularly the Blue Enterprise initiative, to strengthen private sector participation.
According to the CEO, this partnership will improve productivity and competitiveness within the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
“Through the 24-hour economy framework, we will unlock more opportunities for SMEs in innovation, markets, and financing,” he said.
Mr. Adzikah called on journalists and media organizations to play an active role in promoting the initiative and educating the public.
He stressed that sustained media coverage is critical to attracting investors, policymakers, and development partners.
“We want the media to capture the right stories and communicate them to the wider audience so that together we can transform the sector,” he appealed.
The Blue Food Innovation Hub is expected to contribute significantly to national food security, employment generation, and environmental sustainability.
Industry observers believe the initiative could position Ghana as a regional leader in aquaculture and fisheries innovation.