The sustainable development and growth of Africa’s fisheries and aquaculture sector depends on the extent to which, the sector’s biological, environmental and socio-economic attributes can be managed and utilized to materialize into the production of safe aquatic foods, goods and services for local communities and trade. This is clearly spelt out, by the African Union’s Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (PFRS) that was endorsed as the continent’s blue print for the sector, in 2014. The implementation of the PFRS is transforming the sector into one that is more productive and robust. Volumes of production and regional fish trade are increasing, particularly within aquaculture sub-sector. The diversification of production systems and expansion to value-chains to take advantage of expanding local and emerging regional markets has not come without challenges.
There are growing concerns over increased reports of aquatic animal disease outbreaks, the safety of aquatic animal products, antimicrobial resistance, occupational health and environmental impacts for the sustainable development the sector and access to markets in both the fisheries and aquaculture sub-sectors. This in part accrues to the fact that Africa’s major commercial aquaculture species, are also its major commercial fisheries species and the interconnectedness of Africa’s freshwater and marine ecosystems. Africa’s commercial aquaculture and fisheries production both occur within these interlinked aquatic ecosystems, often within the same water bodies using open and/or semi-open production systems. Taking this into account, any interventions to safeguard aquatic animal health and welfare such as for disease control, hinge a lot on ensuring biosafety and aquatic ecosystem health within respective water basins. Thus in 2024, the African Union Commission opted to assess the prospects of aquatic animal vaccines as a measure for the control of aquatic animal diseases upon further considering continental guidance offered by the Animal Health Strategy for Africa, the Animal Welfare Strategy for Africa and the African Union Framework for Antimicrobial Resistance Control 2020–2025. It consequently tasked AUIBAR and AU-PANVAC to assess the status, and coordinate the development of a continental strategy to guide the production, use, distribution and trade of safe aquatic animal vaccines in Africa. This presentation shares preliminary findings on the status and stakeholders’ views towards establishing a bio-secure aquatic animal vaccine chains and programs in Africa.