In a country where fish is a staple in almost every home, aquaculture holds a vital place in Ghana’s food security agenda. Although the sector produced more than 89,000 metric tonnes of fish in 2023, mainly tilapia and catfish, over 60% of the fish consumed locally is still imported. Bridging this gap has become urgent, and one Ghanaian startup is taking bold steps to change the narrative.
Aquamet Technologies, an emerging aquatech startup supported by the Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC), is empowering smallholder fish farmers through locally designed, affordable, and smart technologies. These innovations are addressing persistent industry challenges such as poor water quality, disease outbreaks, and soaring feed costs, issues that frequently threaten farm productivity and farmer livelihoods.
At the heart of Aquamet’s innovation is a smart water-quality monitoring probe that tracks critical parameters including temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH levels. Unlike traditional monitoring systems, the Aquamet device sends real-time alerts via SMS and a mobile app, allowing farmers, even in remote locations, to respond quickly to environmental changes and minimize fish losses.
Since its inception, Aquamet has reached more than 145 fish farmers across Ghana’s Volta, Eastern, Ashanti, and Greater Accra regions. With Ghana targeting 200,000 metric tonnes of farmed fish by 2030, Aquamet is poised to become a key player in advancing the nation’s blue economy and sustainable aquaculture vision.
But Aquamet’s impact goes beyond hardware. The startup also offers a user-friendly farm management application equipped with a feeding estimator, inventory tracking tools, digital recordkeeping features, and access to on-demand expert support. These tools are enabling farmers to cut down feed waste and reduce fish mortality rates by up to 25%, while improving overall productivity and farm efficiency.
“With Aquamet, solutions are locally built, farmer-tested, and focused on empowering the next generation of aquaculture entrepreneurs across Africa,” says Frank Owusu, Co-Founder of Aquamet Technologies.
Looking ahead, the startup has set an ambitious goal: to reach more than 100,000 fish farmers across the African continent within the next decade. In doing so, Aquamet hopes to contribute significantly to building resilient food systems, improving rural livelihoods, and boosting Africa’s aquaculture sector sustainably.
