• Is one of the main achievements of the first Aquaculture Finance Forum organized in the Ivorian capital, Abidjan
Microfinance institutions are now committed to supporting Ivorian fish farmers to finance the development of the tilapia sector in Côte d’Ivoire, with the aim of making it a fully-fledged economic activity, generating jobs, especially for young people. This is one of the main achievements of the first Aquaculture Finance Forum (FFA), organized some days ago in the Ivorian capital, Abidjan, by the FISH4ACP program of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Animal Resources and Fisheries (MIRAH).
Among the entities involved, the microfinance institution Advans Côte d’Ivoire presented fish farmers an offer for the financing of fish feed, which alone represents nearly 70 percent of production costs in fish farming. The offer will be available from mid-September 2025.
“Aquaculture is a booming sector that needs support. Thanks to the training on financing fish farming led by FISH4ACP, we have better understood the stakes of the sector and its potential. This is what motivates our commitment,” explained Aboubakar Koné, head of agricultural partnership projects at Advans Côte d’Ivoire.
Financing Offers
On the side of the entity UnaCoopec, the commitment is similar, as this microfinance institution offers financing that covers feed, equipment and maintenance of fish farms, as explained by Marina Sobo, head of the competitiveness cluster in charge of financing aquaculture and rubber sectors.
Other microfinance institutions, such as Baobab Côte d’Ivoire, the Network of Savings and Credit Mutuals of Côte d’Ivoire (RCMEC), but also digital services including Orange Bank and Wave work to propose specific offers for the sector’s players.
250 Participants Attending to the Forum
The financing offers were well received by around 250 participants attending the forum, in particular fish farmers from all regions of Côte d’Ivoire.
“We have been able to talk directly with the microfinance institution, who now understand our sector better,” said Adjéhi Koffi, a fish farmer from Abengourou in south-west Côte d’Ivoire. “The offers are interesting. We will study them and make a wise choice,” he added.
For her part, Alida Zokou, a fish farmer in Azaguié, a locality located about thirty kilometers from Abidjan, commented: “With the proposed offers, I can consider a loan that would allow me to increase my production, which is currently between 10 and 20 tons per year. Why not aim for 100 tons per year!”
Strong Aquaculture Potential
Côte d’Ivoire has strong aquaculture potential, a major asset to meet the growing demand for protein, create jobs for young people and women, and boost local economies. By strengthening the links between the financial sector and producers, the Aquaculture Finance Forum aims to build a more inclusive, resilient and competitive tilapia industry.
FISH4ACP is an initiative of the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) aimed at making fisheries and aquaculture value chains in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific more productive and sustainable. FISH4ACP is implemented by FAO with funding from the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
The program is focused on enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of value chains, while ensuring that economic improvements go hand in hand with environmental sustainability and social inclusiveness. FISH4ACP aims to tackle some of the underlying challenges in building sustainable fisheries and aquaculture. These include low economic performance, limited market access and poor social and environmental sustainability.
Fisheries and aquaculture are expanding in most of Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific (ACP). However, growth has been slow, and benefits do not always reach the communities who rely on them. In addition, poor fisheries and aquaculture management practices can put stress on the marine environment.
