Ghana aquaculture seen to grow in the next decade

Ghana's aquaculture potential is expected to see an increased growth in the next decade, although climate change is expected to bite hard on food production across the world.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) representative to Africa, Dr Musah F. Mbenga, made this known at a symposium in Accra, organised by the Soil Science Society of Ghana (SSG) on the theme: "Climate Change and Agricultural Productivity: Implication for soils of Ghana."

According to reports, Mbenga stated that climate change offered new opportunities for countries in the world's warmest regions to increase their aquaculture output because of better growth rates, long growing seasons and the availability of new fish farming areas where it was once cool.

He indicated that Ghana's aquaculture production had tripled over the last five years to almost 4,000 tonnes annually and still had the potential for continued high growth.

According to him, climate change would affect the suitability of land for different types of crops, livestock, fish and pasture, adding that health and productivity of the forest, the incidence of pests and diseases would feel the impact of climate change.