Integrating Aquaculture and Capture Fisheries to Combat Hunger in Sierra Leone and Other Parts of Africa

In Africa, over 200 million people rely on marine capture fishing and related industries for their survival. However, many coastal waters particularly in the West – such as Sierra Leone – are seeing dramatic shifts due to climate change. Species like tuna, sardines, and bonga are migrating away from their traditional fishing grounds, driven by rising sea temperatures that hinder their reproduction. These changes threaten the food security and livelihoods of the local population.

A solution could lie in a combination of sustainable marine aquaculture and responsible capture fishing – an approach that has the potential to boost nutrition, alleviate hunger, and generate income for these vulnerable coastal communities. Dr. Nwamaka Okeke-Ogbuafor’s research at the University of Leeds, supported by the AXA Research Fund, is unlocking ocean-based solutions to these issues. Working directly with local communities in Sierra Leone, she is using citizen science to gather data and collaborating with local stakeholders – academics, policymakers, representatives of coastal communities, and government officials – to build solutions from the ground up.

The team conducted extensive fieldwork in three key Sierra Leonean communities, engaging over 300 local stakeholders in interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Locals were skeptical about fish farming due to two main concerns – farm-raised fish, they believed, lacked essential nutrients compared to marine fishing, and many were also concerned by the capital required to invest in the practice. In her 2024 publication in Aquaculture, Fish and Fisheries, Dr. Okeke-Ogbuafor demonstrates that local scepticism was not unfounded, calling for a refocus from an emphasis on increasing production and income to more investment in ‘nutrition-sensitive’ fish farming.

Armed with this knowledge, the research team worked hand-in-hand with stakeholders to co-create a Marine Food Security Strategy (MFSS ), ensuring local voices were central to discussions. Unlike previous conservation efforts that overlooked community input, this study focuses on empowering local people with the knowledge they need to adapt. As the locals gain a deeper understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change on their fisheries, they began to see the bigger picture – supporting these communities to meet a number of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Together they are developing a range of practical solutions, from standardized fish farming practices to providing clear, accessible information on the nutritional value of farmed fish – and even designing affordable, collapsible fish tanks tailored to fishermen’’s needs. Information about aquaculture and marine capture fisheries has been brought to Sierra Leone’s Right to Access Information Commission (RAIC), with plans underway to train RAIC staff on how to work with fishing communities, including ensuring accessible information on fish nutrition.

This project is proving that when communities are engaged and equipped with the right tools, they can not only survive but thrive, creating a more sustainable and resilient future for both their people and the oceans that sustain them.

May 2025

Related links:

• News article: Integrating Aquaculture and Capture Fisheries to Combat Hunger in Africa

• News article: Empowering African fisheries against climate change

• Summary video: Nwamaka Okeke Ogbuafor: Integrating Aquaculture to Combat Hunger | AXA Research Fund