Call for Applications: AFIWEL Fellowship (2026 Cohort)

Attention all professionals working in Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Aquatic Animal Health and Welfare across Africa. An exciting opportunity awaits you to become part of the AFIWEL Fellowship, a 6-month pan-African capacity-building and implementation program designed to strengthen your expertise and leadership in Fish and Aquatic Animal Welfare, advancing ethical, safe and sustainable aquaculture practices. If you are based in any of the following countries – Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Mozambique, Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, South Africa, Tunisia, Egypt, Madagascar, or Senegal, this may be for you! 

About the AFIWEL Program

The Africa Fish and Aquaculture Welfare (AFIWEL) Program, led by One Health and Development Initiative (OHDI), is a pioneering pan-African initiative promoting ethical, sustainable, and welfare-compliant aquaculture across the continent. Grounded in the One Health approach, AFIWEL aims to strengthen responsible and resilient aquaculture systems that advance aquatic animal well-being, food safety, and ecosystem sustainability.

Since its inception, AFIWEL has grown into a continental movement advancing fish welfare from policy to practice. In Phase 1, the program successfully recruited and trained eight professionals as AFIWEL Fellows (2025) from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Malawi, Zambia, and Tunisia. The AFIWEL Fellows (2025) conducted stakeholder mapping and developed the first country-specific Fish Welfare Training Guides, laying the groundwork for policy integration, awareness creation, and capacity development in their respective countries.

In the ongoing Phase 2 activities, OHDI’s AFIWEL Team consolidated this foundation by promoting government engagement, securing stakeholder buy-in for fish welfare integration into aquaculture systems, and implementing country-specific priority actions in policy, training and market access. This phase also established and/or strengthened collaboration with Fisheries Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Directorates of Veterinary Services, and international partners such as FAO, WOAH, AU-NEPAD and other key institutions including academic and research institutions, farmer associations, and civil society organizations.

Building on this momentum, OHDI is seeking experienced and dedicated fisheries and aquaculture professionals from selected countries to contribute to the next phase of the AFIWEL Program. Fellows will play a key role in advancing fish welfare, supporting national priorities, and aligning AFIWEL activities with each country’s aquaculture landscape, policy environment, and development needs.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• Hold at least a Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries, Aquaculture, Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science, or a closely related field.
• Have a minimum of three (3) years’ practical experience in aquaculture, aquatic health, fish production, or animal welfare program implementation.
• Be a resident of one of the eligible countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Mozambique, Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, South Africa, Tunisia, Egypt, Madagascar, or Senegal. Applicants must be based in and largely present within their country of residence for the entire duration of the fellowship.
• Demonstrate strong leadership, analytical, and coordination abilities relevant to program implementation, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy.
• Possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across sectors and represent AFIWEL in national and regional platforms.
• Be passionate about advancing fish welfare and committed to promoting ethical and sustainable aquaculture practices in Africa.
• Show a sound understanding of the policy and legal frameworks governing aquaculture and animal welfare in their country or region.
• Be able to train and build the capacity of farmers and other stakeholders, translating fish welfare principles into practical, on-farm actions.
• Must be fluent in English and proficiency in any of the following additional languages – French, Arabic, Portuguese, or Swahili – will be considered an added advantage.
• Have an established or potential working relationship with government institutions, particularly Fisheries Departments, Veterinary Services, and relevant Ministries, to support coordinated implementation of initiatives.
• AFIWEL strongly encourages applications from women and young professionals working in fisheries and aquaculture.

Benefits

• Technical mentorship and tailored training from OHDI’s AFIWEL experts and partner institutions in fish welfare, aquaculture policy, and One Health approaches.
• Capacity-building opportunities to design, implement, and evaluate welfare-based and sustainability-aligned aquaculture interventions.
• Access to OHDI’s digital support tools for knowledge sharing, service delivery, and market access (RORE and AFIWEL SAFE).
• Collaboration and networking opportunities with government agencies, academia, farmer organizations, private sector actors, and development partners across Africa.
• Visibility and recognition through participation in OHDI’s AFIWEL publications, webinars, and conferences, showcasing fellows as emerging leaders in ethical and sustainable aquaculture.
• Continued post-fellowship mentorship and inclusion in the AFIWEL Alumni Network to support ongoing leadership, advocacy, and research initiatives in fish welfare.
• A stipend to support virtual participation logistics and (where relevant) funding support to facilitate in-country implementation, field activities, and stakeholder engagement.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their applications online here no later than 28th November 2025. Each application must include:

• A detailed CV 
• Proof of academic qualifications
• A 2-page motivation letter outlining your experience, interest in fish and aquaculture welfare, and how you plan to contribute to AFIWEL’s objectives

Early applications are highly encouraged, as submissions will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please note that ONLY shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for interviews.

For more information or inquiries, please contact: afiwelprogram@onehealthdev.org 

Visit www.afiwel.com for updates and related opportunities.