Agri-Impact, Mastercard Foundation target 60,000 jobs through women-led aquaculture initiative

About 60,000 young women aged between 18 and 35 are expected to gain access to employment and business opportunities under a four-year aquaculture programme designed to expand Ghana’s tilapia and catfish production.

The Sustainable Aquaculture for Women Advancement (SAWA) programme, led by Agri-Impact Ltd in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, aims to create jobs across the aquaculture value chain while increasing domestic fish production and strengthening opportunities for women in the sector.

The initiative brings together public and private sector institutions, including Newage Agric Solutions, AgroKings, the Fisheries Commission, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), TechnoServe, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Enterprise Learning (CEL), Naple Betta, Afrigem Global and Aglow Farms.

Speaking at the programme’s signing ceremony in Accra on November 2, 2026, Agri-Impact Ltd Chief Executive Officer, Dr (h.c.) Daniel Fahene Acquaye, said private sector participation would be essential to ensuring that beneficiaries have access to the infrastructure, technical expertise and markets required to establish sustainable businesses.

He stressed that young people could not be adequately supported without strong private sector partners playing a central role in the programme.

“This programme is centred on the young people. But you cannot support young people without having an anchor private sector that is sitting at the centre,” he said.

Dr Acquaye explained that some beneficiaries would receive support to establish businesses across different segments of the aquaculture value chain, including tilapia and catfish farming, aggregation, processing, marketing and distribution.

The programme is therefore expected to create opportunities beyond fish production by helping young women participate in the wider commercial activities that support the aquaculture industry.

One of the programme’s key partners, Newage Agric Solutions, has committed to supporting efforts to reduce fish feed costs by approximately 20 per cent through increased local production of raw materials such as maize and soya beans.

Managing Partner of the company, Roland Quaye, said feed represents between 60 and 70 per cent of aquaculture production costs, making affordability a major factor in determining farmers’ profitability.

He expressed confidence that the company’s involvement would help reduce production expenses for aquaculture farmers.

“Just by coming on board, you can be rest assured that we are going to reduce the feed cost of all aquaculture farmers by close to about 20 percent,” he said.

The proposed intervention is expected to support farmers by improving access to locally sourced feed ingredients and potentially reducing their dependence on more expensive inputs.

Abigail Obeng, a participant in the SAWA programme and Chief Executive Officer of Aquatic Clean Solutions, welcomed the initiative, saying it could help more women establish businesses and achieve financial independence.

She disclosed that women account for approximately 90 per cent of her company's workforce and expressed hope that the programme would encourage more unemployed graduates and school dropouts to explore opportunities in aquaculture.

“Enjoying our own money is sweet. We want young women to also have our own money to enjoy in life,” she said.

Her comments highlighted the potential of aquaculture to provide income-generating opportunities for women, particularly those seeking alternatives to limited employment prospects.

Beyond employment creation, the SAWA programme is expected to contribute to Ghana’s efforts to increase local fish production, reduce dependence on imported fish and strengthen livelihoods across the aquaculture value chain.

By combining private sector investment, technical support, local input production and business development opportunities, the four-year initiative aims to make the aquaculture sector more accessible to young women while supporting the growth of Ghana’s tilapia and catfish industries.