Over the past decade, the government of Gabon has placed increasing emphasis on fisheries and the blue economy as a means of agricultural and economic diversification.

With an average consumption of 30 kilograms of fish per person each year, the African Development Bank supports the growing demand through its Gabon Fisheries and Aquaculture Support Project.

The project provides aquaculture skills training for local fishermen to expand the availability of the popular food and increase farmer incomes.

About 217,000 Gabonese farmers have benefited from this project. 40 percent of beneficiaries are women further encouraging those trained on the use of improved aquaculture technologies.

Joseph Nkili, a fish farmer, says he plans to grow his 4,400 square meter fish farm by 50 percent with the techniques acquired from training and international workshops provided by the project.

“We took advantage of the opportunity provided by the African Development Bank and Gabon to go on fact-finding field visit to Nigeria and Benin to see how others are doing this and to adopt their methods here,” he said.