Dilruba Sharmin
Sarah Fernandes
Ocean Innovation Africa Summit 2025 showcased Africa’s transition toward a sustainable Blue Economy bringing together experts from science, business, and government to turn research into real-world solutions.
At the conference the Asia–Africa BlueTech Superhighway (AABS) project, led by WorldFish, participated in a high-level side event, “Scaling Aquatic Food Systems Solutions for an Inclusive and Sustainable Blue Economy,” highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration.
During the event. AABS partners and stakeholders discussed how scaling aquatic food systems could help create a more sustainable and resilient blue economy and build strong, sustainable, and inclusive aquatic systems to ensure food security and support economic development. Topics of discussion including sustainable fisheries research, post-harvest fish losses, fish monitoring technologies, community and youth engagement, market development, and value chain optimization.
Speaking at the opening of the AABS side event, Dr. Ismael Kimirei, Director General of the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), emphasized Tanzania’s leadership in advancing the Blue Economy said,
“We’ve been doing this through research, by putting out opportunities for interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research grants,” he said, explained that due to increased collaboration, the growth of research had expanded with an increase in science productivity.
The Importance of Scalability
During the side event participants explored the challenges, opportunities, and policy solutions needed to scale innovations in aquatic food systems. Experts from a range of sectors shared best practices and addressed key barriers to building climate resilience and strengthening food security.
Dr. Arthur Tuda, Executive Secretary of the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), said,
“We’ve approached fisheries issues in most cases from a biological and economic perspective, but the social dynamics play a more important role in the way resources are harnessed and even utilized optimally.”
Dr. Heike Hoedt, Director of Simply Solar, said,
“To allow small-scale coastal fisheries to reap the benefits of solar energy applications, it is necessary to configure robust, economically viable solutions tailored to the exact needs of the value chain. WorldFish is striving to do that during the AABS project.”
To meet these evolving demands while ensuring sustainability, the Asia–Africa BlueTech Superhighway (AABS) project is driving innovation across four key areas: developing digital tools for small-scale fisheries, advancing Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture tailored to local needs, scaling climate-smart technologies to minimize aquatic food waste, and strengthening incentives for coastal conservation and sustainable fisheries management.
Dr. Alistidia Mwijage, a Research Scientist at Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), said,
“Scaling innovations in aquatic food value chains is not just about technology—it is about people, gender inclusivity, infrastructure support, market access, and enabling policies and regulations informed by research. To build a resilient Blue Economy, we must integrate sustainable fisheries value chains with marine conservation while ensuring that local communities remain at the core of these solutions. Through cross-sector collaboration and evidence-based approaches, we can drive meaningful change that balances economic growth with the health of ocean ecosystems.”
AABS aligns with global frameworks like the SDGs, Paris Agreement, and African Union’s food systems priorities, focusing on poverty reduction, food security, gender equality, economic growth, climate action, and marine conservation.
Sally W. Mallari, Project coordinador at AABS emphasized that continuous engagement with partners, leveraging their strengths, and creating value for all stakeholders are essential to ensuring that collaborations are not only effective but also sustainable and transformative.
Partner Perspectives for Collective Impact
The side event also focused on community perspectives, government support, and private sector involvement in scaling aquatic food solutions.
Ansen Ward, Fisheries Consultant, explained that part of his work on AABS has been to build capacity in methodologies that can be used to measure fish loss and waste.
“In many countries, there is a knowledge gap in understanding important aspects of fish loss and waste, such as key causes and economic and livelihood implications. Filling that gap enables decision and policy makers to better target and design policies and interventions,” he said.
Addressing fish loss and waste is a crucial step in ensuring food security, supporting livelihoods, and strengthening the resilience of aquatic food systems. With over 3.2 billion people relying on aquatic foods for nutrition and more than 600 million employed in the sector mostly in small-scale fisheries safeguarding these resources is essential.
The conference gathered around 200 participants from Africa and beyond, including representatives from government, academia, the private sector, trade, local communities, and women- and youth-led organizations. Through sharing experiences, the event will support to build new and strengthen existing strategic partnerships with investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs to amplify the impact of ocean-based solutions.