Seaweed for development: Trade, regulations and standards for inclusive growth
Seaweed is gaining attention as a versatile resource for sustainable development. It is used in food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and new bio-based materials. It grows quickly, requires few inputs and can support jobs, food security and climate goals.
But the sector faces clear limits. Production and trade are concentrated in a few countries, rules are fragmented and many developing countries struggle to access markets or move up the value chain.
Kenya intensifies investment in blue economy to spur jobs, coastal development
Kenya is ramping up investment in the blue economy as part of a broader strategy to drive economic growth, create jobs and promote environmental sustainability, with a strong focus on aquaculture and marine resource management.
The government is currently establishing the National Mariculture Resource and Training Centre in Kwale County, which is set to become the largest facility of its kind in East Africa.
World Bank approves $240 million for Benin and Mauritania to protect coastlines and create blue-economy jobs
The funding marks the first phase of the West Africa Coastal Areas Blue Economy and Resilience Programme (WACA+), a regional initiative designed to help countries adapt to rising sea levels, restore damaged ecosystems, and create jobs in sectors such as fisheries, tourism, and coastal logistics.
Coastal zones are among West Africa’s most economically active regions, generating a large share of regional output and supporting millions of livelihoods.
But decades of coastal erosion, flooding, and environmental degradation,worsened by climate change, have threatened homes, infrastructure, and fishing grounds across the region.
Barbados Modernizes Early Education to Build Skills for Future Jobs, with World Bank support
Washington, DC, March 23, 2026: The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a new program to lay the foundation for more and better jobs in Barbados by strengthening foundational learning skills in pre-primary and primary education and improving access to a climate-resilient and inclusive learning environment. The US$50 million operation for the Barbados Education Sector Transformation program will be implemented by the Ministry of Education Transformation.
Barbados has long demonstrated a robust national commitment to boosting jobs by investing in education and maintaining high enrollment and attainment rates. The government consistently allocates approximately 4.9 percent of its Gross Domestic Product to the sector, a level of investment comparable to high-income countries and well above regional averages.
Scientists are already finding microplastics in the human body and in nature
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Smarter Water Use Could Feed 10 Billion and Create Nearly 250 Million Jobs
WASHINGTON, March 19, 2026— Rebalancing water use across the global food system is key to meeting future food demand sustainably and could generate 245 million long-term jobs, largely in Sub-Saharan Africa, according to a new World Bank Group report launched today.
The report – Nourish and Flourish: Water Solutions to Feed 10 Billion People on a Livable Planet – notes that current agricultural water management practices, marked by overuse in some countries and underuse in others, can only sustainably support food production for less than half the global population. By 2050, 10 billion people will need to be fed. Addressing both the overuse that depletes water in stressed regions and the underuse that leaves available water and productive capacity untapped in water-abundant regions will be essential to meet that demand sustainably.
The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) is proposing the re-establishment of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) as a dedicated project to champion the development of the northern part of the country
The intention is to restructure SADA into a relevant development authority to achieve its purpose as the main vehicle driving development across the northern half of the country.
The proposal is expected to be part of a comprehensive document of a national development plan that will receive parliamentary approval to make it binding on successive governments.
The Chairman of the NDPC, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, said SADA remained a “critical component of any strategy for the effective transformation of the Ghanaian economy in the medium to long term”.
Ghana is leading Africa’s blue food transformation. Here is why it matters.
Africa’s blue foods – fish, shellfish, algae, and other aquatic foods – represent one of the greatest investment opportunities of our time.
The sector is valued at $24 billion yet produces only 6% of global blue food output, underscoring a vast, untapped opportunity. Doubling production responsibly could close Africa’s protein gap by as much as 25%, create 3.3 million jobs, and add $17 billion to GDP by 2050.
As the country with the highest per-capita fish consumption in Africa, Ghana has long recognized the power of blue foods to nourish people, strengthen livelihoods, and build climate resilience. Our sector is valued at roughly $600 million, growing six times faster than the national economy, with aquaculture production reaching 120,000 tons by 2023 -comparable in scale to our entire livestock industry.
President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned a modern Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessel in South Korea, describing it as a strategic asset that will strengthen energy security and support the transition to cleaner energy across Africa
The commissioning ceremony, held on Thursday, March 12, 2026, at a major shipyard in South Korea — a country widely recognised for its maritime engineering expertise — marked the official launch of the MT Asharami Ghana, a dual-fuel, fully refrigerated LPG carrier.
Addressing a gathering of dignitaries, industry leaders and partners, President Mahama said the event represented more than the launch of a single vessel.
He explained that it symbolised a significant step in strengthening the infrastructure that supports the global LPG supply chain.
Ghana Gas marks international women’s day, calls for more women’s inclusion in energy sector
The Ghana National Gas Company has marked this year’s International Women’s Day with a call for stronger mentorship, collaboration and deliberate action to promote women’s participation and leadership in Ghana’s energy sector.
The event, held under the theme “Give to Gain,” brought together government officials, industry leaders, students and women’s groups to reflect on the progress women have made and the steps needed to expand opportunities for them, particularly in the energy industry.
The event sought to empower women and create equal opportunities that would strengthen institutions, drive innovation and contribute to national development.