Investing in Blue Foods 2026

Executive summary Blue foods – fish, shellfish, crustaceans, seaweed and other aquatic organisms from marine, freshwater and brackish systems – are critical to feeding the world, sustaining livelihoods and protecting the planet. Globally, they provide nutrition for billions of people, support around 800 million jobs and generate hundreds of billions of dollars in value each year. However, realizing this opportunity will require growth that is both responsible and inclusive, with strong safeguards to protect aquatic ecosystems and communities. Across Africa, blue foods already supply about 18% of total animal protein and underpin millions of livelihoods across fisheries, aquaculture, processing and trade. With demand for affordable, nutritious protein rising rapidly, the blue foods sector represents one of the fastest-growing opportunities for job creation and inclusive economic growth on the continent. If blue foods production in Africa were doubled to approximately 26 million tonnes per year, it could reduce the protein gap by around 25%, create roughly 3 million additional jobs and add an estimated $17 billion to GDP . Achieving this potential at scale will depend on growth that is well- managed, ensuring that productivity gains translate into improved livelihood opportunities, resilient value chains and long-term sustainability. Blue foods systems face a complex web of challenges globally, many of which are amplified in Africa. Feed is often imported and costs are high, limited seed systems reduce productivity and losses remain heavy across the value chain. Around one- third of Africa’s total fish production is lost to poor storage, transport and cold chain infrastructure. Disease outbreaks and limited biosecurity continue to limit yields, while illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing undermines sustainability and trust. Environmental pressures – from abandoned nets to oxygen-depleted lakes – are growing and, across the continent, the finance, skills and coordination needed to tackle these challenges are still emerging. The good news is that Africa’s innovators are already developing practical solutions, which can be amplified by learning from global experience. Across the value chain, innovation is helping producers cut costs, reduce waste and raise quality. Improved tilapia breeding, insect-based and methane- fermented feeds and oral vaccines are lowering input costs and disease risks. Tools for real-time monitoring and precision feeding are improving farm performance, while solar-powered dryers, AI-based fish grading and digital traceability platforms are reducing spoilage and opening new markets. Circular models – such as insect bioconversion of waste and nutrient recycling in multi-trophic aquaculture – are turning waste streams into value, improving resource efficiency and creating new revenue opportunities across blue food value chains. However, innovation alone is not enough. Experience from other regions shows that transformation accelerates when governments, investors and communities align around shared goals. Norway, for example, linked aquaculture licences to innovation and environmental performance. The Netherlands used strategic planning and financing to scale up sustainable systems, while New Zealand’s Moana Nui cluster is aligning local industry, Māori enterprises and government in building an inclusive blue economy. Africa can chart its own transformation: innovation, supported by strong policy and collaboration across the ecosystem, can unlock the changes the continent seeks. Governments can lead by setting the right rules, investing in infrastructure and embedding training within public programmes. The private sector can bring efficiency, finance and market connections, while development partners can deploy patient capital to de-risk early innovation and strengthen local capacity. At the community level, cooperatives can anchor inclusive innovation approaches and technologies, ensuring that women, youth, persons with disabilities and migrants benefit as active participants. Platforms such as the World Economic Forum’s Food Innovation Hubs Global Initiative can further connect these actors, help scale up solutions and align action. By aligning these efforts around common priorities – nutrition, livelihoods and sustainability – blue foods can become one of Africa’s most powerful levers for inclusive growth and ecosystem preservation, both terrestrial and marine.Unlocking Africa’s blue food potential for healthier people, stronger economies and a sustainable future. Investing in Blue Foods: Innovation and Partnerships for Impact 4