In Ouagadougou, leaders in Burkina Faso’s aquaculture sector have endorsed a suite of strategic documents designed to shape the industry’s long-term growth. These include sector diagnostics, an investment roadmap, and an operational guide, all crafted to steer public policy and private capital toward sustainable aquaculture development.

The initiative aligns with the Sahel RESILAND program, a regional effort focused on restoring degraded landscapes, ensuring sustainable water and land management, and diversifying rural livelihoods. By targeting ecosystem restoration and job creation, the program aims to uplift communities across the Sahel, where agriculture and aquaculture play pivotal roles in local economies.

A key component of this strategy is knowledge generation, which empowers policymakers to make informed decisions and tailor interventions to local needs. The Africa Sustainable Aquaculture initiative supports this goal by conducting in-depth country assessments and mapping investment pathways across the Sahel, including Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Chad. Together, these efforts seek to unlock the region’s untapped aquaculture potential while ensuring environmentally responsible development.

The recent work has produced an updated snapshot of Burkina Faso’s aquaculture sector, highlighting both its promise and structural challenges. A strategic investment pathway has been developed to prioritize funding needs, define implementation mechanisms, and guide project developers—public and private alike—toward sustainable growth. This includes a practical guide to assist entrepreneurs in navigating regulatory and technical hurdles.

Addressing stakeholders at the validation event, Issiaka Zouri, Study Manager at the General Secretariat of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water, and Animal and Fisheries Resources, commended the collaborative effort behind these results. He emphasized how the framework aligns with national priorities, particularly the Agropastoral and Fisheries Offensive, which seeks to boost animal and aquatic production nationwide.

Zouri pointed to Burkina Faso’s substantial water resources and largely untapped fisheries potential as critical assets. With the adoption of these strategic documents, the country is poised to strengthen its domestic fish production, enhance food and nutrition security, and unlock new economic opportunities for youth and women in rural areas.