# Blue Foods Blue foods such as fisheries and aquaculture can boost growth and nutrition, but need collaborative innovation to overcome major environmental and industry challenges. ## Blue foods — animals and plants captured or farmed in the ocean or freshwater — are a critical yet under-recognised pillar of our global food system. Blue foods have vast potential to drive economic growth, improve nutrition, and strengthen resilience. Yet the industry currently faces critical challenges including illegal fishing, feed costs, waste, disease, governance and environmental pressures. By connecting innovators with resources, bringing traditional practices together with modern science, and improving access to finance and technology, the Hub provides neutral ground where transformation accelerates. **3 billion** People rely on blue foods for nearly 20% of their animal protein **10-12%** of the world’s population rely on fish for their livelihoods **50 years** Global consumption of seafood has doubled in the last 50 years and the impact on marine ecosystems is high **34.2%** of fish stocks are already overfished ## Food Innovation Hubs: Driving innovation and investment for food systems transformation Blue Food Innovation Hubs are part of ACT Ocean and the wider Food Innovation Hubs Global Initiative that leverages multi-stakeholder and market-based partnerships to scale fit-for-purpose innovations. Hubs are connected through a global Food Innovators Network, a community of practice that promotes knowledge exchange and generates global insights on the food innovation agenda. [Learn more](https://initiatives.weforum.org/food-innovation-hubs/home) ## Africa's Blue Potential Doubling Africa’s blue food production could close the per capita protein gap by 25%, create 3 million jobs, and add $17 billion to GDP.Blue foods are already a major economic driver for developing countries, contributing $45 billion in net exports – more than any other agricultural commodity. The sector can offer a solution to rising malnutrition and food insecurity, while creating jobs and shoring up economic growth.A third of Africa’s blue food is wasted before it reaches consumers due to poor storage, transport, and infrastructure. ## Ghana's Blue Food Innovation Hub The Blue Food Innovation Hub in Ghana seeks to directly tackle the challenges hindering blue food industry growth. By fostering innovation and technology adoption across production, processing, and distribution, the Hub aims to reduce losses, enhance competitiveness, and create measurable impact across the entire value chain, making blue foods affordable, accessible, and sustainable at scale.These efforts are supported by catalytic funding from the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). ## Resources ## Featured Content ### The Investing in Blue Foods: Innovation and Partnerships for Impact Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit. ### Blue Foods Innovation: An investment case for Africa Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit. ### How Africa can lead the way on sustainable blue food production Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit. ### Work with our initiatives, communities and platforms Partner with us to drive the future of the ocean economy. [Get involved](https://initiatives.weforum.org/ACT-Ocean/get-involved)