The Feed the Future Ghana Fisheries Recovery Activity (GFRA) is a five-year (2021-2026), $17.8 million activity funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) that aims to mitigate the near collapse of Ghana’s small pelagic fisheries—sardines, mackerel, and anchovies and establish a foundation for their ecological recovery.

 

The health of Ghana’s fisheries is critical to maintain economic opportunity and food security for Ghanaian fishers and coastal communities, as well as conserving coastal and marine biological diversity. Currently, Ghana’s fisheries face critical challenges from overharvesting by both industrial and small-scale fishing operations, habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.

 

Goal

GFRA strives to reduce fishing overcapacity and improve small pelagic fisheries management to encourage ecological sustainability and marine biodiversity conservation, while also improving the socioeconomic well-being, food security, and resilience of fishers and coastal communities.

 

Location

GFRA works in small fishing villages and fish landing sites throughout Ghana’s coastal districts including: Takoradi Harbor (Western Region); Elmina and Saltpond Fish Landing Sites (Central Coast); Tema (Greater Accra Region); and Keta (Volta Region). These sites host significant spawning and nursery grounds and have important biological diversity and cultural implications.

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Key Stakeholders

GFRA works closely with the Government of Ghana and relevant stakeholder groups, including: fishers and coastal communities; fisheries associations; buyers and processors; business owners, entrepreneurs, and women-owned small and medium enterprises; community leaders, local elected officials, and traditional chiefs; and leading civil society and non-governmental organizations working across Ghana