Côte d’Ivoire and WorldFish to Launch West Africa Hub for Aquatic Food Innovation 

The Government of Côte d’Ivoire and WorldFish today signed an Agreement in Principle to establish a Regional Hub for Aquatic Food System Innovations for West Africa. 

The agreement outlines a shared vision to create a centre for scientific collaboration, capacity development and scaling of innovations to strengthen aquatic food systems in the region.  

The signing forms part of WorldFish’s 50th anniversary celebrations, marking five decades of research and partnerships to transform the role of aquatic foods in global development. 

H.E. Sidi Tiemoko Toure, Minister of Animal Resources and Fisheries of Côte d’Ivoire, and Dr Essam Yassin Mohammed, Director General of WorldFish, formalised the agreement, which sets the stage for a Hosting Agreement to be developed later this year.  

“This partnership marks a turning point for Côte d’Ivoire and the wider region. By joining forces with WorldFish, we are investing in science, innovation, and the long-term resilience of our aquatic food systems. This is not just about boosting production—it is about creating jobs, securing nutrition for future generations, and positioning Africa as a global leader in sustainable fisheries and aquaculture,” said Minister Toure. 

Under the agreement, Côte d’Ivoire intends to contribute USD 3 million over five years and provide land and infrastructure for the Hub, with WorldFish mobilizing global scientific expertise aligning efforts with national and regional priorities. 

“This Regional Hub will help drive research and innovation on aquatic foods across West Africa. It comes at a critical moment, with science needed more than ever to improve nutrition, support livelihoods and build resilience in the face of climate and economic shocks,” said Dr Mohammed. 

With recent projections showing Africa will need to increase aquatic food production by 74 percent by 2050 to maintain current fish consumption levels, the proposed Hub will support broader efforts to strengthen food and nutrition security, drive innovation and build resilient aquatic food systems across West Africa.