Ibadan, Nigeria — Nigerian and Indian experts, alongside officials from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), convened at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Ibadan for a technical workshop aimed at boosting food and nutrition security through aquaculture and allied value chains.
The India–Nigeria Aquaculture Knowledge Exchange Workshop brought researchers, policy makers, and private-sector actors together to share practical solutions for scaling fish production, cutting import dependence, and creating jobs.
FAO’s Representative in Nigeria and to ECOWAS, Dr. Hussein Gadain, underscored the urgency, noting that nearly 60% of Nigerian households experience food insecurity and the country spends over $1 billion annually on fish imports. He said the fisheries subsector contributes 3–5% to national GDP, with fish providing almost half of the animal protein consumed nationwide.
“Nigeria’s annual fish requirement is about 3.6 million metric tonnes, leaving a production deficit of 2.4 million tonnes. Bridging this gap is both an economic necessity and a nutritional priority,” Gadain said.
Dr. Charles Iyangbe, WorldFish Country Representative, highlighted synergies between India and Nigeria—large populations, rising food demand, and rich aquatic resources—while stressing the shared challenge of managing those resources sustainably and equitably to build long-term resilience. WorldFish, he noted, is focused on research and innovation to leverage “aquatic foods” for better nutrition, higher incomes, and healthier ecosystems.
From the implementation side, Dr. Abiodun Sanni, National Project Coordinator for Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises – Niger Delta (LIFE-ND), identified feed costs as a binding constraint on aquaculture expansion. He urged accelerated efforts to localize feed production, adopt cost-effective formulations, and strengthen input supply chains so smallholders can scale profitably.
Priority actions discussed
- Reduce feed costs and improve quality through local raw-material sourcing, improved formulations, and quality control.
- Expand hatchery and broodstock programs to ensure steady supply of fingerlings.
- Strengthen cold-chain and market infrastructure to cut post-harvest losses and stabilize prices.
- Facilitate finance and de-risking for SMEs via blended finance, guarantees, and producer cooperatives.
- Promote climate-smart practices (water efficiency, resilient species, better pond management).
- Skills and extension: scale farmer field schools and digital advisory services.
- Policy alignment: streamline regulations and incentivize domestic production over imports.
Participants agreed to compile a time-bound action plan linking state and federal programs with private investments and development-partner support. If implemented at scale, the measures are expected to narrow Nigeria’s fish deficit, reduce import bills, and create jobs, while improving household nutrition.
