Unlocking Africa's Potential for Sustainable Shrimp Aquaculture: Lessons From Leading Shrimp‐Exporting Countries in Asia and the Americas

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ABSTRACT Although several African coastal regions have biophysical conditions comparable to those in shrimp‐farming regions of Asia and Latin America, Africa accounts for less than 0.5% of global farmed shrimp production. This review evaluates the development prospects of African shrimp aquaculture, identifies constraints on expansion, and draws lessons from Ecuador, India, and Vietnam as benchmark exporters. It synthesises literature published between 2010 and May 2026 using a narrative review approach. Production is concentrated in Madagascar, Egypt, and Nigeria, with semi‐intensive systems predominating. Expansion is constrained by weak governance, inadequate infrastructure, limited access to high‐quality seed and feed, viral disease risks, financing constraints, and fragmented value chains. Under explicit assumptions for total farm area, pond allocation, and annual yield, the coordinated development pathway generates a conditional scenario value of approximately 1.75 Mt. by 2050, assuming a total farm footprint equivalent to 0.4% of Africa's salt‐affected soils. Evidence from comparator countries indicates that movement towards this pathway would require context‐specific strategies centred on clear institutional mandates, coordinated regulation, and industry‐linked research and technology transfer. Additional priorities include phased investment in biosecure clusters integrating hatcheries, feed production, farms, processing, and logistics. Other priorities include appropriate financing, access to specific‐pathogen‐free broodstock, traceability, quality assurance, and environmental safeguards. Implementation must account for cross‐country variation in environmental and socioeconomic conditions, production experience, infrastructure, and market access. The findings provide an evidence base for phased development of African shrimp aquaculture and identify conditions under which the sector could contribute to employment, export earnings, rural livelihoods, and food‐security benefits.

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