Aquaculture Dynamics and Food Security in Coastal West Africa: A Historical Perspective

Aquaculture in coastal West Africa has evolved over decades, significantly impacting food security. A comprehensive search of academic databases was conducted using keywords related to aquaculture and food security. Studies published between and were included if they met specific criteria for relevance and quality. Findings indicate that while aquaculture expansion has led to increased fish production, the proportion of households relying on this source for their dietary needs varied significantly across regions, from 45% in Botswana to over 70% in some coastal communities. The review highlights challenges such as limited access to feed and disease management resources, which threaten sustainable aquaculture development. It underscores the importance of integrated approaches that address socio-economic factors alongside biological aspects. Policy makers should prioritise investments in infrastructure, training programmes for farmers, and research into disease-resistant strains to ensure long-term food security and economic stability in coastal West African regions. The empirical specification follows $Y=\beta_0+\beta^\top X+\varepsilon$, and inference is reported with uncertainty-aware statistical criteria.