Africa: Blue Transformation: The future of food will be shaped by water — Africa at the heart of FAO’s strategy

From coastlines to vast inland waters, the continent holds the resources to close the food gap: according to FAO, a sustainable transformation of aquatic systems can become a powerful driver of development, nutrition and resilience.

A quiet but profound shift is reshaping global agrifood systems. It is not happening on land, but in water. Across oceans, rivers and lakes, FAO identifies one of the key pathways to feeding a growing global population. It is Blue Transformation: a process aimed not only at producing more aquatic foods, but at doing it better — in ways that are sustainable, inclusive and resilient.

The latest edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, FAO’s flagship report known as SOFIA shows that this transformation is already underway. In 2024, global fisheries and aquaculture production reached 235 million tonnes, a historic high, while international trade in the sector was valued at 184 billion dollars. Today, about 90 percent of production is destined for human consumption, helping provide essential protein to more than three billion people worldwide.

Most importantly is that demand will continue to grow. Over recent decades, per capita consumption of aquatic foods has more than doubled, exceeding 20 kilograms per year. This is a structural trend, likely to continue. But this very growth raises a fundamental question: how can production increase without putting ecosystems at risk and without leaving behind those who already have limited access to food? The answer is clear: growth alone is not enough — transformation is needed.

It is here that Africa comes into focus, not as a weak link, but as a window of opportunity. The continent is endowed with vast coastlines, extensive lake and river systems, and a well-established fisheries sector embedded in local economies. Above all, it has a rapidly growing demand that can drive development.

Today, aquatic foods provide on average 19 percent of animal protein in Africa, with even higher levels in several countries. At the same time, per capita availability remains the lowest in the world. It is within this apparent paradox that opportunity lies:

Blue Transformation offers a pathway to turn need into growth, reducing the gap between supply and demand while strengthening food security

In 2024, the continent produced 7.1 million tonnes from marine capture fisheries and 3.7 million tonnes from inland waters, demonstrating that a solid production base already exists. But the real breakthrough lies in aquaculture.

Globally, aquaculture is driving the sector’s expansion. In Africa, however, it still accounts for only 18 percent of total aquatic animal production. Yet it is growing rapidly, having expanded by 455 percent since 2000, the fastest rate in the world. This indicates that the trajectory is already set — the challenge is to accelerate it by creating the right conditions for investment, innovation and technology diffusion.

Blue Transformation starts precisely here: with policies capable of supporting this growth. It is not just about producing more, but about rethinking the entire aquatic food system to make it stronger. This means improving fisheries management, which is constrained by biological limits and increasingly exposed to climate change.

It also means strengthening value chains, reducing losses and increasing local added value. In many African contexts, improving infrastructure, storage and market access can significantly boost food availability without increasing pressure on ecosystems.

At the same time, one critical step must not be overlooked: fully integrating aquatic foods into nutrition policies. In Africa, where their protein contribution is already high, these products can play a decisive role in improving diet quality, especially where access to diverse and affordable foods remains limited.

Finally, any strategy must contend with environmental limits. Climate change and ecosystem degradation pose growing threats. Without adaptation, productivity could decline in the coming decades, putting at risk the progress already achieved.

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