A four-year aquaculture programme backed by the Mastercard Foundation is targeting 60,000 work opportunities for young women in Ghana and $90 million in annual revenue, as the country seeks to expand domestic fish production and strengthen the industry.
The Sustainable Aquaculture for Women Advancement (SAWA) Programme also aims to increase Ghana’s annual domestic fish production by 50,000 metric tonnes, with implementation led by Agri-Impact Ltd in partnership with a 10-member consortium.
Private sector partners formally marked the start of implementation at a signing ceremony at Agri-Impact’s office.
The programme will target women aged 18 to 35, including those with disabilities, across different segments of the aquaculture value chain. Its job creation target covers opportunities intended to provide dignified and fulfilling work, although the partners have not disclosed how these opportunities will be distributed across production, processing, distribution and other activities.
The private sector consortium includes Newage Agric Solutions, AgroKings, Centre for Enterprise Learning (CEL), Naple Betta, Afrigem Global and Aglow Farms, alongside Agri-Impact.
The latest signing follows the formalisation of partnerships with four other institutions: the Fisheries Commission, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), PwC Ghana and TechnoServe.
The partners are expected to support efforts to expand aquaculture production, strengthen industry capacity and increase the participation of women in the sector.
