Levedy Céleste Lossangoye has had a passion for fish farming since a very young age. She grew up surrounded by fishponds on her family's fish farm in Andem, Gabon, a Central African country.
Located about 60 kilometers from Libreville, the capital of the country, the family farm has 21 ponds spread over two hectares and has a production capacity of about 37 tons per year. While this is enough to live well, the potential is not fully exploited.
Employment opportunities for young people
Many young graduates are struggling to find jobs in Gabon, where youth unemployment is as high as 38 percent, according to the International Labour Organization. FAO believes that the fisheries and aquaculture sector can play an important role in creating jobs, especially for young people, and in meeting the challenge of food security and nutrition.
"Aquaculture is a profitable business that allows you to both feed your family and support your finances," says Celeste. "I strongly advise the unemployed to get into this business."
According to the latest data, 423 farmers practice aquaculture and fish farming in Gabon, but only 22.7 per cent of them are under the age of 35.
In addition to aquaculture production, FAO helps promote aquaculture among young people by offering workshops on aquaculture investment and decision-making to improve business plans. It also provided equipment for fish farming and harvesting to the participants.
Yannick Mve Obiang, a 27-year-old fish farmer who produces catfish and tilapia, says that thanks to FAO's training, he has been able to acquire the skills and knowledge to modernize his ponds and move from subsistence aquaculture to commercial production.
However, in Gabon, the sector faces constraints, including the lack of quality fish food or fry at an affordable price, as well as the lack of investment capital.
"With the lack of good quality core resources, it is difficult for the sector to attract new investors and meet the Government's targets of doubling national fish production to 50,000 tonnes by 2025," kinadjian said.
"We have placed a strong emphasis on a vision of seeing aquaculture as a commercial activity, which should ensure the profitability and sustainability of activities and mobilize financing, outside of development projects or government grants."
Now 30 years old, Céleste is an agricultural engineer with a vision. She works with her father, Daniel, to transform the family business into a large-scale operation that is not limited to tilapia and catfish farming, but also markets her fish directly throughout the country.
"The exploitation has enormous potential that would allow it to meet local demand, despite the many challenges facing the company," she says.
As in many coastal countries in Central Africa, fish is a popular food in Gabon. Annual fish consumption is around 35 kilograms per person, one of the highest rates on the African continent, but 25,000 tons must be imported each year to meet the needs of the local market.
However, aquaculture remains a marginal and insufficiently developed activity in Gabon, while the country is struggling to meet a constantly increasing local demand for fish. Since 2017, FAO has been working with the Government of Gabon to further develop commercial aquaculture by establishing five fisheries centres, both maritime and continental, and improving farmers' skills to increase production.
In addition, after conducting research on the needs of fish farmers, FAO organized training courses in three provinces – Estuaire, Oyem and Bitam – to strengthen the technical, production and business skills of young entrepreneurs, including Céleste.
Topics covered included the selection of fish farming sites, the manufacture and assembly of floating cages, production techniques and the improvement of the quality of broodstock for tilapia and catfish.
"We have learned how to make floating cages, which adds value to our existing products. We can use them to increase our production, since we already have ponds," says Celeste.
"In Gabon, aquaculture is still in its infancy and does not contribute much to food security, but its development offers real employment opportunities for young people," says Lionel Kinadjian, FAO's fisheries and aquaculture officer.
'The demand exists, and the environmental conditions are in place to promote aquaculture.'
Developing farms to meet growing demand
Céleste looks forward to playing a greater role in managing her family's fish farm.
"I decided to invest in the farm, to help my father improve the technical aspects, production and marketing of our products and make our business more profitable," she says.
"In the long term, I want to become the first fish farming company in Gabon and see the Lossangoye family's fish shops flourish everywhere in Libreville."
In Gabon and several other Central African countries, FAO is supporting agricultural programmes that enable young people to build their capacities and engage in more productive and profitable activities, thus ensuring a more resilient and sustainable future.
