Strengthening Fisheries Governance Through Data: Madagascar Embraces the Continental AFAData Platform

Antananarivo, Madagascar, July 2026

Reliable data is crucial for good governance in fisheries. Without accurate statistics on catches, vessels, and trade, African governments struggle to develop effective policies. To address this, AU-IBAR organised a training workshop in Antananarivo focused on AFAData, a platform for fisheries and aquaculture data. Participants included officials from various national institutions. The training is part of the Fisheries Governance Project Phase 2 (FishGov2), which aims to enhance institutional capacities and support evidence-based decision-making in line with the African Union's Policy Framework for Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Why AFAData Matters for Africa
For decades, one of the most persistent challenges in African fisheries governance has been the fragmentation and inconsistency of sector data. Statistics collected in different formats, using different standards, have made it difficult to build an accurate continental picture of a sector that feeds millions and underpins coastal and inland livelihoods across the continent.

AFAData was developed to close this gap. Hosted within the Animal Resources Information System (ARIS), the African Union's continental information system for animal resources, the platform harmonises the collection, management, validation and analysis of fisheries and aquaculture data across all fifty-five African Union Member States. It covers six core data areas; catches, vessels, farms, aquaculture production, fishing effort and fish trade, and applies a four-level validation workflow that moves data from technical entry at national level through official national approval and regional harmonisation by the Regional Economic Communities, to continental publication by AU-IBAR. This architecture ensures that the statistics informing continental policy are complete, consistent and traceable to their source.
Crucially, the platform carries significant political weight. Delivering the opening remarks on behalf of AU-IBAR, Mr Philippe Ouedraogo reminded participants that “AFAData was adopted by African Ministers during the Session of the African Union Specialised Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment, which recommended its progressive deployment in Member States in order to improve the availability and quality of fisheries and aquaculture statistics across the continent.” This ministerial endorsement transforms AFAData from a technical tool into an instrument of continental policy. A shared infrastructure through which Member States can report on their commitments and through which Africa can speak with one voice, backed by credible evidence, in regional and global fora.

Data as the Bedrock of Policy
The opening remarks placed the training firmly within the wider governance agenda. “Quality data is today indispensable for developing effective public policies, guiding investments, measuring the performance of the sector and ensuring rigorous monitoring of commitments made at national, regional and continental levels,”, Mr Philippe Ouedraogo told participants. He further commended the Government of Madagascar for its leadership, extending “sincere thanks to the Government of Madagascar, and particularly to the Directorate General of Fisheries and Aquaculture as well as AMPA, for their commitment and excellent collaboration in the organisation of this activity,” noting that this support “testifies to the importance attached to strengthening the governance of the fisheries and aquaculture sector.”
Madagascar's participation marks an important step in the platform's progressive rollout. “Madagascar is today among the countries actively engaging in this continental dynamic,” it was observed. “Your participation in this training constitutes an important step towards strengthening national capacities and contributing to the production of reliable data in the service of the sustainable development of the sector.”

From Theory to Practice
The workshop provided a mix of theoretical knowledge and practical skill development over two days. Participants first learned about the ARIS architecture, AFAData module, data standards, user roles, validation workflows, and data quality rules. On day two, they engaged in hands-on activities, entering data related to fishing catches, vessels, and aquaculture farms. They simulated validation processes and learned data management techniques. The session concluded with participants entering real data, receiving individual support, and taking an assessment for AFAData certification. An AU-IBAR representative highlighted the training's potential impact on enhancing Madagascar's fisheries and aquaculture information systems, emphasising benefits for communities and sustainable sector development.

A Continental Dynamic in Motion
The Antananarivo training forms part of a broader effort under FishGov2 to deploy AFAData progressively across African Union Member States, in line with the ministerial recommendation of the Specialised Technical Committee. Each national training extends the reach of a shared continental infrastructure, bringing Africa closer to a future in which fisheries and aquaculture policy, from village landing sites to the halls of the African Union, is grounded in data that is timely, harmonised and trusted.

For Madagascar, whose fisheries and aquaculture sector is central to food security, employment and export earnings, the investment in national data capacity is an investment in the sector's future, and in the communities whose livelihoods depend on it.