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Cameroon has taken a major step toward strengthening its food security and cutting reliance on imported fish with the launch of a 10-day intensive aquaculture training programme on 2 December 2025. The course, titled “From School-Leaving Certificate to Dinner Plate,” focuses on improving technical skills across the entire fish production and processing chain.
Organised by the Support Centre for the Development of Aquaculture and Hydroculture in Cameroon (CADAHC) in collaboration with the Support Program for the Development of the Livestock Sector and Livestock Value Chains (PADESCE), the initiative brings together 26 trainees for hands-on learning in modern aquaculture methods, aiming to boost local fish output and encourage value-added products such as fish sausages.
The programme concentrates on two key stages of the aquaculture value chain. First, it strengthens intensive table-fish production—mainly tilapia and catfish—through enhanced pond-farming practices. Participants are trained in water-quality management, species selection, fish health, feeding techniques, and improved farm operations to help them move away from low-yield traditional systems toward more efficient, higher-productivity models. The second component focuses on modern post-harvest processing, especially the production of fish sausages, which is intended to extend shelf life, create higher-value products, reduce post-harvest losses, and widen income opportunities for producers.
At the programme’s launch, the Director of CADAHC praised the trainees for their dedication and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to helping them become active drivers of their own success. This initiative forms part of a broader partnership between CADAHC and PADESCE and aligns with the government’s strategic vision that positions aquaculture as a key pillar for food security, economic development, and import substitution.
Despite being one of the five priority sectors in the national import-substitution strategy, aquaculture production remains low—less than 20,000 tonnes annually compared with a national demand of around 400,000 tonnes. According to World Bank data, Cameroon produced 14,854 tonnes of aquaculture products in 2023, showing gradual progress but still far from meeting domestic needs. To close this gap, the government aims to increase fish output from 225,000 tonnes in 2024 to 600,000 tonnes by 2027, representing a projected growth of more than 160%.
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By developing technical capacity and modern processing skills, the CADAHC–PADESCE training programme directly supports these national goals. It seeks to boost local production, reduce dependence on imports, retain more economic value within the country, advance the industrialisation of aquaculture, and contribute to broader economic transformation. Overall, this initiative marks a significant step toward modernising Cameroon’s aquaculture sector and building a more resilient, self-sufficient fish supply chain.
