Public and donor funded aquaculture farmer development interventions in Africa have a long history with generally poor outcomes, as measured in terms of increased fish production to meet national supply needs. In recent years, commercial aquaculture has begun to grow organically led by pioneer entrepreneurs, operating largely independently of traditional donor and government supported aquaculture development programmes. The workshop session presentations will diagnose the shortcomings of the ‘technical fix’ approach employed by public and donor funded aquaculture development programmes, and demonstrate why a shift to a more holistic, humancentred paradigm is required focusing on the empowerment of farmers as aquaculture business entrepreneurs. In practical terms, this requires requires a shift from public sector-led aquaculture technical ‘training’ focusing on fish breeding and feeding, to the empowerment of farmers as value chain actors through aquaculture business management mentorship by educators with commercial aquaculture business experience.