AquaFish is a five-year project funded by the World Bank at the tune of US$6 Million through ACE II programme. The objective for ACE II to strengthen selected Eastern and Southern African higher education institutions to deliver quality post-graduate education and build collaborative research capacity in the East and Southern Africa (ESA) region. The AquaFish Centre of Excellence is hosted at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) as it seeks to train a pool of skilled and innovative graduate students to contribute towards improved fish-based food and incomes from aquaculture and fisheries in Africa.

The establishment of AquaFish is in line with, and will significantly contribute to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa (STISA), and the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy, to increase human capacity development for aquaculture and fisheries sector growth. These development frameworks recognize the need to increase fish production, to improve fish per capita consumption and subsequently reduce malnutrition and stunting that are prevalent in

Both Local and International Students benefiting from ACE II Scholarships

the region. AquaFish centre builds on LUANAR’s track record of serving as a regional training centre in aquaculture and fisheries science for Africa.

AquaFish centre will facilitate and promote scaling-up graduate training in Aquaculture and Fisheries, community action research, and strengthen linkages with the private sector in the region while increasing females and youth participation. The centre will employ innovative, entrepreneurial and multidisciplinary approaches to training, research and outreach on production, value addition and fisheries management, through strategic south-south and north-south partnerships with advanced knowledge institutions and other higher education stakeholders. The AquaFish ACE sets bold targets in this five-year implementation period. Targets set are to ensure at least 40% female representation in the project and at least 20% graduates from the region.

ACE II is fully aligned with:

1. the World Bank’s twin goals of poverty reduction and shared prosperity
2. The World Bank’s Africa Strategy: to strengthen competitiveness and employment through the production of quality high-skilled human resources in priority growth sectors

The programme objectives are:

1. Strengthen Education Capacity excellence – quality and productivity emerging local and global climate change perspectives
2. Strengthen education capacity & development impact
3. Strengthen Research Capacity excellence – quality and productivity
4. Strengthen education and research capacity (through increased financial sustainability) and demonstration of value to students and partners