AU-IBAR Co-Hosts Blue Foods Side Event at the 21st CAADP Partnership Platform

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 Harnessing Blue Foods for Africa’s Sustainable, Just & Resilient Food Systems 
Thursday, 30 October 2025

AU-IBAR co-hosted a high-level side event titled “Harnessing Blue Foods for Africa’s Sustainable, Just & Resilient Food Systems” during the 21st Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Partnership Platform (PP). The event was jointly organised with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the African Union Commission (AUC), and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).

This collaboration underscored AU-IBAR’s leadership in integrating fisheries and aquaculture into Africa’s agricultural transformation agenda and in aligning blue food systems with the CAADP Kampala Declaration and Action Plan (2026–2035), reinforcing the importance of sustainable aquatic food systems as a cornerstone of food security, livelihoods, and climate resilience across the continent.

Blue Foods in the CAADP Agenda

Africa’s marine and inland fisheries, together with aquaculture, provide vital nutrition and livelihoods for millions. However, their contributions remain underrepresented in food systems narratives and national policies. Fragmented governance and data gaps have often excluded blue foods from broader sustainability frameworks.

To address these challenges, AU-IBAR continues to guide policy transformation through the 2014 Policy Framework and Reform Strategy (PFRS) for Fisheries and Aquaculture, which serves as the sector’s continental blueprint. The framework is now fully aligned with the new CAADP Kampala Declaration, positioning blue foods as a key driver of Africa’s agricultural and economic renaissance.

The fifth CAADP Biennial Review highlights improved sector performance and Member States’ readiness to strengthen monitoring and reporting—reflecting AU-IBAR’s continued technical leadership in advancing evidence-based reforms under Agenda 2063 and the Blue Economy Strategy.

Event Highlights

The side event opened with Mrs Estherine Fotabong, Director for Agriculture, Food Systems, and Environmental Sustainability at AUDA-NEPAD, outlining aquatic food priorities under the CAADP Kampala framework. Dr. Sloans Chimatiro, President of the Policy Research Network for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (PRNFAA), traced the evolution of fisheries and aquaculture within CAADP.

Two inspiring “Blue Foods Story-tellers” shared real-world perspectives:

  • Mrs. Oluwafunmilola Shelika, African Women Fish Processors and Traders Network (AWFishNet), highlighted gender transformation and women’s empowerment in blue value chains.
  • Ms. Fatuma Geofrey Mang’ena, an agripreneur from Healthy Seaweed Café, showcased innovation in seaweed-based foods and their role in improving nutrition and climate adaptation.
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A high-level roundtable followed on “Leadership and Innovation: Pathways to Increased Contribution of Blue Foods to Africa’s Food Systems.”
Panelists included:

  • Dr. Bernice Mclean (AUDA-NEPAD) – lessons from the Malabo process and priorities for integration under CAADP Kampala.
  • Dr. Eshete Dejen (IGAD) – regional opportunities for private sector engagement in blue value chains.
  • Mr. Simon Olok (AU-IBAR) – AU policy dimensions for fisheries and aquaculture reforms towards achieving Agenda 2063.

Country representatives, development partners, and private sector actors added perspectives on investment, governance, and innovation.

Key Takeaways

1. Strengthened Policy Alignment and Governance
AU-IBAR emphasised the need to integrate sector-specific indices for aquatic production systems into the CAADP monitoring framework to support evidence-based investment and performance tracking.

2. Multisectoral Collaboration
By co-hosting the event, AU-IBAR fostered cross-sectoral dialogue linking governments, private sector actors, research institutions, and regional organisations to strengthen blue food value chains.

3. Gender, Inclusion, and Innovation
The Bureau reaffirmed its commitment to promoting women’s participation, youth innovation, and entrepreneurship in aquatic food systems; ensuring that blue growth remains inclusive and equitable.

4. Knowledge-Driven Decision-Making
Building on its work through FishGov2 and other initiatives, AU-IBAR reiterated the importance of coherent data and knowledge systems for policy coherence and accountability in implementing the CAADP Kampala Action Plan.

Looking Forward

The session concluded with renewed pledges from AU institutions, Member States, and development partners to elevate blue foods in the continental food systems agenda. Stakeholders agreed on the need for a dedicated sector performance index, targeted financing, and enhanced regional cooperation to accelerate implementation of the CAADP Kampala Declaration.

AU-IBAR’s co-hosting of this landmark side event reaffirmed its pivotal role in policy coordination, knowledge governance, and partnership building key enablers for realising Africa’s Blue Transformation and the aspirations of Agenda 2063.