A quarter of Tanzania’s population depend on coastal resources or inland lakes for their livelihoods. Over 180,000 people are employed in the fisheries sector, with a further 19,000 people involved in fish farming.

Current fish production is around 376,000 metric tons a year, with around 97 percent of fish sourced from small-scale fisheries and the remaining from large-scale commercial fishing. Aquaculture produces an additional 10,317 tons including seaweed (450 tons) and despite its huge potential, is largely untapped. There are presently 21,300 fishponds used for aquaculture.

Despite the country’s low consumption of fish, at 5.6 kg/person/year, fish makes up 19.7 percent of the country’s animal protein intake.

We are working with the Government of Tanzania and development partners to increase aquaculture production, reduce postharvest fish losses, enhance the role of fish in nutrition and encourage better management of small-scale coastal and inland fisheries.

Current Priorities / Initiatives

  • Enhance the role of fish in national food and nutrition security agenda
  • Enhancing governance of coastal and inland small-scale fisheries
  • Post-harvest management in fish value chains from Lake Victoria
  • Increasing the consumption of capture fish by pregnant and lactating women and by infants
  • Enhancing governance of coastal small-scale fisheries
  • Investment and policy research to increase women and youth participation and benefits derived from aquaculture and aquaculture-related activities
  • Increasing farmed fish production (tilapia)

Anticipated Impacts (by 2022)

  • 0.11M producer households adopt improved breeds, aquafeeds, fish health and aquaculture and fisheries management practices
  • 0.10M people, of which at least 50 percent are women, are assisted to exit poverty through livelihood improvements related to fisheries and aquaculture value chains
  • 0.13M people, of which 50 percent are women, are without deficiencies of one or more of the following essential micronutrients: iron, zinc, iodine, vitamin A, folate and B12
  • 0.13M more women of reproductive age are consuming an adequate number of food groups
  • 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and 10 percent increase in water and nutrient use efficiency in 0.04M tons of fish per annum
  • 0.01M hectares of ecosystems restored through more productive and equitable management of SSF resources and restoration of degraded aquaculture ponds