African aquaculture is growing rapidly with tilapia and catfish as primary species, but welfare standards infrastructure is in early development compared to European and North American industries.
African aquaculture welfare development faces the challenge of building welfare standards infrastructure in a sector where the primary market incentive - consumer demand for welfare certification - is weaker than in European and North American export markets. Domestic consumers face different price sensitivities and have lower awareness of aquaculture welfare science. However, growing export market certification requirements are creating economic incentives for welfare improvement among export-oriented producers. International development organizations and certification bodies working in the African aquaculture sector have an opportunity to integrate welfare standards from the outset rather than retrofitting them to an established industry.