Larissa Kanate dreams of becoming Côte d’Ivoire's “tilapia queen”

19 July 2024, Abidjan – With the support of FISH4ACP, Ivorian fish farmer Larissa Kanate presented an ambitious project to expand her tilapia farm at BlueInvest Africa 2024. An interview with a fish enthusiast who dreams of becoming her country’s "tilapia queen". 

In Bingerville near Abidjan, the capital of Côte d'Ivoire, Larissa Kanate has given life to her innovative project. The restaurant “Miami Beach”, founded by her mother in 2009, isn’t just a gastronomic establishment. 

Larissa has integrated it with “Queen Fish”, a tilapia fish farm, giving diners the opportunity to enjoy fish straight from the farm before they’re prepared, thus guaranteeing product freshness. 

Larissa Kanate's history with fish farming stems from her passion for ornamental fish. “I find looking after fish immensely calming,” says the mother of two. “It has made me patient and often helps me deal with difficult situations.” 

In a constant search for quality fresh fish for her customers, she has developed a recirculated aquaculture system, an avant-garde technique that makes high-yield production in a small space possible. 

Her efforts have led FISH4ACP, an initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) implemented by FAO and funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), to organize a knowledge-sharing opportunity with Ivorian fish farmers on her farm. 

With the support of FISH4ACP, promoting sustainable growth in the tilapia sector in Côte d'Ivoire, Larissa was selected from more than 500 applicants to present her “farm to fork” project at the BlueInvest Africa in Kenya in July 2024. 

Initiated by the European Union, BlueInvest Africa aims to facilitate meetings between African entrepreneurs seeking financing and international investors scouting for opportunities, all centred around projects capable of propelling Africa’s blue economy forward. 

“There's not enough fish on the market,” Larissa says, explaining that her plan is to significantly expand her farm to increase production from today's eight tons to 100 tons per year over the next five years. 

According to Larissa, fish farming offers real prospects in Côte d'Ivoire. Currently importing 80% of its fish consumption, the country has enormous potential for development in this sector. At the same time, she underscores the sector’s major challenges, including access to quality food and fry. 

One of FISH4ACP’s priorities is to improve quality and availability. The initiative is working with pilot fish farms to familiarize fish farmers with good practices, from the purchase of fry and feed to the sale of commercial fish, and to instill a new perception of fish farming as a fully-fledged commercial activity providing income. 

“To be successful, you have to start with training,” Larissa says, before adding, “I can invite people to come here and see what above-ground fish farming is all about.” 

Larissa's ambitions don't stop there. In the future, she also plans to build a fish farm in her home village of Mankono, in northern Côte d'Ivoire. This project promises to create jobs for young people and women in the region. 

Larissa smiles. Perhaps one day she'll become the “tilapia queen” of Côte d'Ivoire.