Youth urged to tap aquaculture opportunities

**DAR ES SALAAM: **THE government has urged youth to embrace modern aquaculture technologies and skills as rising fish production and consumption create new opportunities for investment, employment and income generation.

The call comes as Tanzania’s fish production increased from 376,352 tonnes in 2018 to 519,454 tonnes in 2025, while the value of fish production rose from 1.77tri/- to 4.56tri/- over the same period. The latest fisheries and aquaculture statistics released by the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries last month also show strong growth in the production of aquatic organisms, including farmed fish.

Production of aquatic organisms reached 124,000 tonnes in 2025, up from 44,735 tonnes in 2021, highlighting the growing contribution of aquaculture to the country’s fisheries industry. Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Ms Ng’wasi Kamani made the call during a working visit to Sengerema District in Mwanza Region, where she visited Zhongzhi Aquaculture Company Limited, a private investor in the fisheries sector.

Ms Kamani said the government would continue working with private investors and other stakeholders to expand productive fish farming, create employment and improve incomes, particularly among young people.

She encouraged youth engaged in fisheries to use private-sector investment as an opportunity to acquire modern fish-farming technologies, technical skills and knowledge that can improve production efficiency and profitability.

“The government will continue working with the private sector and other stakeholders to increase productive fish farming, create employment and improve incomes, particularly among young people,” she said.

The expansion of aquaculture comes amid rising domestic demand for fish. Ministry statistics show that per capita fish consumption increased from 7.84 kilogrammes in 2018 to 10.20 kilogrammes in 2025. The fisheries sector’s contribution to Tanzania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) also increased from 1.7 per cent in 2018 to 2.2 per cent in 2025, reflecting its growing importance to the national economy.

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Over the same period, the value of fish production increased by about 158 per cent, providing a larger economic base for fish farmers, traders, processors and other players across the fisheries value chain.

Ms Kamani also moved to address concerns over the safety of farmed fish, saying fish produced in cages and ponds are safe and suitable for human consumption. She said farmed fish undergo scientific testing at the National Fisheries Laboratory to ensure they meet safety requirements.

The Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), she added, conducts research on the quality of fish fingerlings and monitors the quality of aquatic environments where fish are farmed. Ms Kamani further urged young Tanzanians to take advantage of government-supported financing opportunities aimed at enabling them to invest in fisheries and other productive activities.

“I urge Tanzanian youth to take advantage of the loan opportunities introduced by President Samia Suluhu Hassan, including loans for boats, fish cages and livestock,” she said.

She said the financing supports young people to access fish fingerlings, poultry, cattle and other equipment, as well as the infrastructure required for production.

Despite the growth in domestic production and consumption, however, Tanzania’s fishery product exports declined in 2025. According to ministry statistics, fishery product exports fell to 45,053 tonnes in 2025 from 59,746 tonnes in 2024. The value of exports also declined to 649bn/- from 756bn/- during the same period.

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