Ghana explores palm oil waste as local fish-feed ingredient

GHANA – Research led by Solidaridad West Africa and the University of Ghana is assessing whether residual oils recovered from palm oil mill effluent (POME) could replace part of Ghana’s reliance on imported fish oil in aquafeed production.

The research is examining whether oils recovered from POME, a nutrient-rich wastewater generated during palm oil processing, can provide a locally available lipid source for fish feed.

The initiative was discussed at a stakeholder consultation held under the theme “Bridging the Lipid Gap: Localising Fish Feed Production through Sustainable POME Upcycling,” bringing together representatives from the oil palm and aquaculture industries, academia and government.

For Ghana’s aquaculture sector, the research addresses two challenges at once: managing a major waste stream from palm oil processing while identifying alternative sources of feed ingredients.

Solidaridad West Africa said approximately 2.5 tonnes of POME are generated for every tonne of crude palm oil produced in Ghana. 

When poorly managed, the effluent can contaminate soil and water and generate methane as it decomposes.

The proposed approach would recover residual oils from the effluent for use in aquafeed rather than treating POME solely as a waste-management challenge.

Research supports potential for palm-derived feed ingredients

The Ghana initiative builds on previous research on using palm-derived products in aquafeed.

A review published in IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science found that palm oil can be used as a lipid source in fish diets and has been evaluated in species including Nile tilapia and African catfish. 

The paper also found potential for dried POME sludge as a feed ingredient.

In one Nile tilapia trial cited by the review, a diet containing dried POME sludge showed growth performance comparable to a crude palm oil-based diet, while also providing a route to reduce palm-processing waste.

More recent research has also examined POME-derived ingredients in African catfish. 

A study published in the Journal of Aquatic Sciences found that diets containing POME sludge supported growth and feed conversion in juvenile Clarias gariepinus, with the POME-only experimental diet recording a specific growth rate of 3.68% per day and a feed conversion ratio of 1.54.

These findings do not establish POME as a commercial replacement for fish oil, but they add evidence for investigating palm-processing residues as potential aquafeed ingredients.

From waste management to feed-ingredient supply

This opportunity could extend beyond waste reduction in Ghana. 

Developing a process to recover usable lipids from POME could create an additional value stream for palm oil processors while providing aquafeed manufacturers with a locally sourced ingredient.

The approach could also reduce exposure to the cost and supply challenges associated with imported marine oils, although the commercial feasibility, nutritional performance, processing requirements and consistency of recovered POME oils will need to be established.

Eric Amoako Agyare, Country Representative for Solidaridad in Ghana, said the research reflects the organisation’s focus on developing economic activities that do not come at the expense of the environment.

The stakeholder consultation therefore focused not only on the research findings but also on what would be required to develop and commercialise the approach.

The initiative forms part of the National Initiative for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NISCOPS), funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

If successful, the research could link two agricultural value chains in Ghana, turning a by-product of palm oil processing into a potential input for the country’s growing aquaculture industry.

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