CIHEAM Bari had the honour of welcoming the Hon. Emelia Arthur, Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Republic of Ghana, during a study visit held in Italy from 15 to 21 February 2026, organised within the framework of the AREA Africa Ghana project.

The Minister was accompanied by Mr. Hayford Gameli Agbekpornu, Head of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Fisheries Commission; Mr. David Afealete Doe-Tudzi, Personal Aide to the Minister; and Mr. Kofi Bonsu, Investment and Tourism Officer at the Ghana Embassy in Rome.

The initiative forms part of Italy’s broader international cooperation programme, developed within a balanced public–private partnership framework under the Mattei Plan for Africa. Specifically, it falls under the Action for the Strengthening of Agro-Food Ecosystems in Africa (AREA), co-financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI).

Within the project framework, CIHEAM Bari serves as the knowledge partner and implementing body for the public component, while BFI acts as the private partner. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) represents the Ghanaian public partner.

During the visit, the Ghanaian delegation toured CIHEAM Bari’s facilities in Bari and Tricase, where they met researchers, staff members and Ghanaian Master’s students. The programme also included visits to Italian companies and organisations operating in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors, with a view to sharing best practices in sustainable fisheries management, vocational training, logistics and seafood production, namely: the Fisheries Local Action Group (FLAG) in Monopoli, Thesi Consulting in Mola di Bari, the Port Museum in Tricase, InMare in Gallipoli, “Capitaneria di Porto di Gallipoli”, MareVivo in Castro, and the Food4Health Community Lab in Tricase.

The study tour provided a valuable opportunity to discuss and further refine a fisheries development project to be implemented in Ghana, thereby strengthening cooperation between Italian and Ghanaian institutions, as well as private sector stakeholders.

Through this initiative, CIHEAM Bari reaffirms its commitment to promoting innovation and the sustainable development of local agri-food systems, including coastal and inland areas across the country.

In this context, CIHEAM Bari and the Ministry for Fisheries and Aquacultureof Ghana signed a Memorandum of Understanding.

The agreement signed by the Director of CIHEAM Bari, Biagio Di Terlizzi, and Ghana’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, the Hon. Emelia Arthur, aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors and to promote and implement international cooperation initiatives supporting their development, while enhancing food security through joint projects, knowledge exchange, capacity building and technical collaboration.