In the aquaculture sector, sustainability is often challenged when projects fail to fully integrate stakeholders—especially farmers—into the design and implementation phases. The FISH4ACP project, through its bottom-up, value chain-driven approach, emphasizes the active engagement of farmers to ensure their voices lead the way to empowerment and long-term sustainability. This intervention, applied across Nigeria’s vast catfish aquaculture value chain, demonstrates that stakeholder-driven solutions not only improve immediate productivity but also foster resilience beyond the lifecycle of donor-led projects.
By focusing on inclusive value chain analysis, the FISH4ACP approach ensures that interventions are tailor-made to address the specific needs and challenges of each actor, from small-scale farmers to processors. The project’s participatory methodology equips farmers to actively contribute to decisions and policies, securing their buy-in and ownership of outcomes. This leads to greater adoption of best practices, better management of resources, and the creation of sustainable business models that continue to thrive post-project.
This paper will present key findings and lessons learned from Nigeria’s catfish value chain under the FISH4ACP project, highlighting how farmer-led innovations and engagement is transforming the industry. It will explore how this inclusive model can be replicated across other aquaculture systems, promoting a more sustainable and resilient future for the sector across Africa.