Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana, partners validate plans for Blue Food Innovation Hub
The Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana, working together with the World Economic Forum and other development partners, has organised a one-day validation workshop in Accra aimed at gathering stakeholder input from Ghana’s blue economy sector. The engagement forms part of efforts to promote innovation, stimulate sustainable growth, and create long-term employment opportunities across Africa.
In an exclusive interview with Univers News, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Jacob Adzika, explained that the organisation is leveraging global development networks to support local players in the aquaculture industry through the Blue Food Innovation programme. According to him, the programme is designed to open access to sustainable funding while broadening market opportunities for blue food products to boost economic development.
“Globally, the blue economy is generating billions of dollars for countries that have prioritised harnessing the sector to create decent jobs and sustain livelihoods for stakeholders. With this vision, the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana and its development partners—key among them the World Economic Forum—are committed to establishing the Blue Food Innovation Hub on the continent, with its strategic office in Ghana, given the country’s vast ocean resources,” he said.
Mr Adzika further indicated that the Chamber is collaborating with the government, through the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and other related agencies, to maximise the potential of the blue food ecosystem at both the domestic and international levels. He noted that the sector’s growing adoption of technology and innovation is key to increasing economic value for public and private sector participants.
“The core design and strategic objectives of the Blue Food Innovation Hub are to partner with government to provide an enabling environment and policy interventions to harness the vast potential of the blue economy. This aligns with national development objectives established by the state some years ago under the auspices of the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development,” he added.
The validation workshop, which took place at the Marriott Hotel in Accra, brought together policymakers, industry experts, private sector representatives, academics, donor organisations, and members of the general public.
Source: Radio Univers
