Promoting small-scale freshwater fish farming in Côte d’Ivoire was done in two stages. First was awareness and establishment stage (1974-1990) implemented by dense and diverse state support. The second was the professional stage (1992-2002) executed by specific regional projects. Activities targeted small-scale fish farming including: i) promotion of quality amenities, reproducible by the promoters; ii) marketing – taking into account the demand of the target market; iii) training of professional stakeholders capable of ensuring support animation of the sector in all its components; and, iv) the promotion of research and development focused on the needs of stakeholders.

Actions of regional projects, combined with the advent of some lagoon farms, had a significant positive impact on the development of national fish production which has increased at a rate of 6.8% /year and reached production level of 1200 tons in 2002. In 2013, the national fish production is estimated at 4,500 tons, obtained from 1300 farms with a total of 750 hectares of water. The contribution of small farmers, estimated at 3,010 tons, represents 66.9% of total production.

The production consists essentially of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), raised in monoculture, polyculture, or monosex male, and contributes 90% of the total production since 1998, despite the significant investments made toward other species including catfishes (Chrysischtys nigrodigitatus, Heterobranchus longifilis and Clarias spp.).

The model of rural fish farming, extensive to semi-intensive, developed and popularized, from participatory approaches of the Midwest regional fish Project (PPCO), is now the basis for the development of the small-scale freshwater fish farming in Côte d’Ivoire. This development is mainly driven by the relay stakeholders (topographers, builders of ponds, fish farmers) trained and installed by the regional projects. This process can be amplified and the SSFW-FF production can be increased if the constraints, i) of sexing and the slow growth of the local strain of tilapia and ii) on low control of conditions for the marketing of inputs and outputs, were lifted. Overall production could also be doubled, considering all other things remain equal, if the capacity of the channels were reinforced by implementation of i) professional organizations capable of providing the primary collection of inputs and outputs, and ii) subsequent harvest storage equipment.

Finally, government appropriate regulations and the creation of one agency for aquaculture development will meet the many challenges streamlining support/consulting and extension systems and valuing all resources.