African Development Bank calls for urgent investments in inland fisheries
Report warns sustainability requires restoring aquatic habitats and stronger water management
AFRICA – The African Development Bank Group has issued a new review on African inland fisheries, warning that immediate action is needed to restore aquatic habitats and integrate fisheries into wider water management plans.
The report stresses that fisheries are not only a source of nutrition but also support income generation, resilience to shocks, and community stability across the continent.
According to the findings, Africa has about five million fishers working either full time or part time, while an additional ten million people rely on the sector for survival, with women making up nearly half of this group.
The publication cautions that meeting the continent’s growing demand for food and nutrition will not be possible unless fisheries are managed in line with other development priorities such as agriculture, energy generation, and industrial projects.
While inland fisheries have shown the capacity to adapt under changing climate conditions, their long-term future depends on healthy water systems and transparent governance.
Restoring damaged habitats
The bank recommends channeling funds into the rehabilitation of fish habitats in areas that have been modified by human activity, including reservoirs.
It also calls for nature-based approaches such as re-establishing natural water flows, reconnecting floodplains, reducing pollution, and repairing vegetation along riverbanks to both improve fish stocks and strengthen water systems.
These interventions, the review notes, can help maintain water quality while offering protection from flooding risks.
Among the identified hotspots are the marshlands of Lake Victoria and the Falémé River in Senegal, which has suffered from severe pollution.
Balancing fisheries and energy projects
The report points to opportunities for combining hydropower and fisheries through the restoration of artificial flooding downstream of dams, with reference to attempts carried out on Kenya’s Tana River and the Kenya River.
Such measures, it argues, would help recover fish habitats while keeping energy projects operational.
In a related development, the African Development Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization jointly appealed in September 2024 for stronger recognition of inland fisheries and the benefits they can deliver, particularly for vulnerable households and women.
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