Ghana repurposes abandoned mining pits for aquaculture

GHANA – Ghana has launched a pilot aquaculture project that converts abandoned clay and quarry pits into fish farms, as the country seeks to increase domestic fish production, reduce reliance on imports and create employment opportunities in rural communities.

The Komfueku-Shama Aquaculture Project, launched by Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Emelia Arthur in the Shama Municipality of the Western Region, is being implemented in partnership with R&B Farms. 

The initiative aims to transform abandoned and underutilised excavated sites into productive aquaculture enterprises that support food security, environmental restoration and local economic development.

Speaking at the launch, Arthur said Ghana’s fisheries sector was facing mounting pressure from declining marine resources and the impacts of climate change, making aquaculture expansion increasingly important to the country’s food production strategy.

“Aquaculture remains one of Ghana’s greatest opportunities for increasing domestic fish supply, reducing fish imports, creating employment and improving food security,” she said.

Arthur noted that the project aligns with national efforts to diversify fish production while promoting responsible land use and environmental rehabilitation.

“What excites me most about this project is its potential for replication because, across Ghana, there are many abandoned excavated sites that could be converted into productive aquaculture enterprises,” she said.

“If successful, the Komfueku-Shama model can serve as a blueprint for sustainable aquaculture development in other parts of the country.”

The minister commended R&B Farms for investing in the initiative and said that private-sector participation would be critical to accelerating innovation and growth in Ghana’s aquaculture industry.

R&B Farms co-founder Benjamin Turkson said the company plans to expand the project beyond Komfueku following the successful completion of the pilot phase.

According to Turkson, future expansion sites include Anto, Supomu-Dunkwa and Daboase Junction, where numerous abandoned pits could be repurposed for fish farming.

“Apart from converting these abandoned pits, which have become death traps, our major objective is to create jobs for the youth and women through our innovative fish farming initiative,” he said.

Turkson also urged the government to promote aquaculture development to address unemployment and provide alternative livelihoods that could help reduce illegal mining.

Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson, in remarks delivered on his behalf, said the initiative supports government efforts to strengthen food security, promote sustainable aquaculture, stimulate economic growth, and improve environmental stewardship.

Aquaculture seen as key to reducing fish imports

The project comes as fisheries officials continue to call for increased investment in aquaculture to meet Ghana’s growing demand for fish and reduce dependence on imports.

Diana Obuobi Sakyibea, Bono Regional Director of the Fisheries Commission, recently urged households, communities and entrepreneurs to embrace fish farming as a sustainable solution to the country’s widening fish supply gap.

She noted that fish remains the most affordable and widely consumed source of animal protein in Ghana, making local production essential for food security.

According to Sakyibea, Ghana’s long-term objective is to significantly reduce, if not eventually eliminate, fish imports through expanded domestic production.

“As a country, we consume a lot of fish, and if we continue to consume more without producing enough locally, then a time will come when we will face serious challenges,” she said.

She warned that declining marine fish stocks continue to threaten future supplies and stressed that aquaculture offers the most viable pathway to ensuring sustainable fish availability.

Sakyibea encouraged communities to adopt pond, tank and tarpaulin-based production systems and called for continued support for fish farmers, whom she described as critical to the future of the country’s fisheries sector.

Her comments reflect growing concern among fisheries stakeholders that increasing fish consumption, combined with declining wild catches, will require accelerated investment in aquaculture to secure future supplies.

If successful, the Komfueku-Shama project could provide a model for turning abandoned excavation sites across Ghana into productive aquaculture enterprises, supporting employment creation, environmental restoration and the country’s broader goal of strengthening domestic fish production.

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