Integrating Fish Welfare into Nigeria’s Aquaculture Future: Insights from AFIWEL Fellow, Dr. Sherifat Adegbesan
At AFIWEL (Africa Fish and Aquaculture Welfare Program), we remain committed to strengthening safe, ethical, welfare-driven, and sustainable aquaculture systems across Africa. Today, we spotlight one of our distinguished Fellows, Dr. Sherifat Adegbesan, whose expertise in fisheries science and dedication to policy advocacy are driving transformative change in Nigeria’s aquaculture sector.
Meet AFIWEL Fellow: Dr. Sherifat Adegbesan
Dr. Sherifat is a Senior Lecturer at Edo State College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Iguoriakhi, Nigeria. In her role, she actively integrates fish welfare considerations into aquaculture systems through stakeholder engagement, awareness creation, and policy dialogue. As a Policy Fellow, she works closely with policymakers to advocate for policies that recognize fish welfare as a core component of the aquaculture value chain: from farm to fork.
In Nigeria, aquaculture faces several challenges, including the high cost of feeds, lack of price control, and limited adoption of sustainable practices. Through her professional and fellowship roles, Dr. Sherifat is addressing these challenges by strengthening institutional support, building farmer capacity for sustainability, and promoting coordinated market systems. Her engagement in fish welfare is proving vital in ensuring sustainable and ethical aquaculture practices.
Championing Stakeholder Engagement and Inclusion
During her Fellowship, Dr. Sherifat has served as Lead Facilitator and Technical Expert in stakeholder engagement forums. She empowers farmers with practical tools and knowledge to improve fish welfare, highlights the economic and ethical benefits of adopting welfare-friendly practices, and advocates for policy alignment. She also fosters collaboration across NGOs, government agencies, researchers, feed companies, and community leaders to build strong partnerships. Dr Sherifat recognizes the critical role of women and youths in fish farming. She promotes gender-sensitive and inclusive dialogue, ensuring that marginalized voices are heard in shaping welfare practices.
Skills and Tools Gained During the Fellowship
The Fellowship has strengthened her technical expertise, particularly in mastering the Five Freedoms of fish welfare principles and Operational Welfare Indicators. She has mastered tools for assessing water quality, behavioral indicators, stocking density, and stress responses: knowledge which she is utilizing to transform welfare practices in Nigeria’s aquaculture systems.
AFIWEL Fellow at the EAGx Nigeria Conference
In 2025, Dr. Sherifat was invited as a speaker at the EAGx Nigeria Conference, a platform that convened changemakers across Nigeria and beyond to explore effective, evidence-based approaches to pressing challenges in animal welfare, technology, and sustainability. She gave an engaging presentation on “The Importance of Fish Welfare and Evidence Based, Cost Effective Strategies to Improve the Lives of Aquatic Animals”.
The most rewarding aspect of the event, she noted, was the opportunity to share knowledge and inspire others committed to “doing the right thing” for animals and the environment. The conference created an enabling environment for continuous discussion on fish welfare and encouraged more stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices in aquaculture.
Contributing Towards Sustainable Development of Aquatic Food Systems
The outcomes of this engagement have reinforced Dr. Sherifat’s efforts to advance fish welfare across Nigeria. By sparking ongoing conversations, fostering stakeholder interest, and promoting evidence-based strategies, she is contributing to the sustainable development of aquatic food systems in the region.
A major highlight to Dr Sherifat is being able to contribute extensively to the creation of the Fish welfare Training Guide for Nigeria.
At AFIWEL, we celebrate and support the work of Fellows like Dr. Sherifat Adegbesan, whose leadership is shaping a more ethical and sustainable future for aquaculture in Nigeria and Africa.