AFRM Advisory Council Endorses 14 Knowledge Products to Advance Africa’s Fisheries and Aquaculture

Mombasa, Kenya – 15 August 2025: The Third Meeting of the Advisory Council of the African Fisheries Reform Mechanism (AFRM), convened by AU-IBAR in partnership with the Government of Kenya, concluded in Mombasa with a significant milestone: the adoption of 14 knowledge products designed to transform Africa’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.

The two-day meeting brought together members of the Advisory Council, including chairpersons of the AFRM’s four working groups, experts, and AU-IBAR staff. It followed the Think Tank Executive Committee meeting, which had prepared draft knowledge products for further refinement.

Key Knowledge Products Adopted


The Council reviewed and adopted policy briefs and advocacy notes covering governance, trade, aquaculture, and small-scale fisheries. Highlights include:
•    Governance & Policy: Policy briefs on sector investments and ocean governance, plus an advocacy note on institutionalising the Africa Fisheries and Aquaculture Database (AFAData).
•    Trade & Enterprise: Policy briefs on fish trade corridors and fisheries subsidies, and an advocacy note on empowering women and youth under the AfCFTA.
•    Aquaculture: A policy brief on public-private partnerships for the feed industry, an advocacy note on biosecurity, and a SWOT analysis on aquaculture growth.
•    Small-Scale Fisheries: Policy briefs on funding access, reducing post-harvest losses, and unlocking socio-economic benefits, alongside an advocacy note on strengthening organisational structures.

Messages from the Meeting
Opening the meeting, Ms. Hellen Guebama, on behalf of AU-IBAR’s Director, urged participants to ensure the knowledge products become practical tools for evidence-based reform. Kenya’s representative, Mr. Benson Kirathe, reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to fisheries governance, reminding participants that “sustainable growth requires consistent and critical engagement.”

Deliberations emphasised:
•    The need for concise, assertive, and actionable recommendations.
•    Institutionalising AFAData to strengthen data-driven decision-making.
•    Leveraging AfCFTA to empower women and youth in fisheries.
•    Organising small-scale fishers nationally before linking them to regional and continental networks.
•    Unlocking aquaculture’s potential through public-private partnerships and biosecurity.

Next Steps
The adopted knowledge products will undergo final revisions before being presented to the Specialised Technical Committee (STC) of the African Union for approval. A task team was also formed to advance the institutionalisation of a Biennial Forum under AFRM, ensuring regular monitoring of fisheries policy reforms.

Human-Centered Reform
Beyond policy, participants highlighted the real impact of fisheries reform: securing livelihoods, empowering women and youth, and ensuring food security for millions of Africans. As one participant noted, “These products are not about us in this room—they are about the millions who depend on fisheries and aquaculture for food, jobs, and dignity.”
 
Read more on the African Fisheries Reform Mechanism (AFRM): https://www.au-ibar.org/projects/enhancing-sustainable-fisheries-management-and-aquaculture-development-africa-fishgov-2