The Kounki Project: Transforming Guinea’s Coastal Destiny Through Sustainable Fisheries and Climate Resilience
Approved on May 27, 2025, and officially launched on Friday, April 24, 2026, in Conakry, the Kounki project represents a landmark initiative for Guinea’s coastal communities. This ambitious program, running until August 14, 2031, is designed to tackle critical constraints in the fishing and aquaculture value chains while simultaneously strengthening climate resilience and fostering sustainable development along Guinea’s coastline.
What Is the Kounki Project?
The Kounki project is a comprehensive, multi-sectoral intervention financed by a coalition of international partners, including the World Bank, the French Development Agency (AFD), and ProBlue, with a total budget of 128 million US dollars. Its primary goal is to sustainably transform Guinea’s fisheries sector—a vital economic engine that currently contributes just 4.5% to the national GDP but holds immense untapped potential.
Beyond mere economic growth, the project aims to create job opportunities, diversify livelihoods for coastal populations, and improve access to financing for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the fisheries and aquaculture space. It also prioritizes strengthening infrastructure, reducing disaster risks, promoting climate-smart practices, and improving the management of fisheries resources and mangroves through a blend of scientific research and community-based approaches.
Why Guinea’s Coasts Need a New Destiny
Guinea’s coastline, rich in marine biodiversity and mangrove ecosystems, has long been a source of livelihood for hundreds of thousands of people. However, decades of overfishing, illegal fishing, habitat degradation, and climate change impacts have placed immense pressure on these resources. The country’s annual fish production currently stands at just 10,000 tons, far below its potential. This shortfall forces Guinea to rely heavily on fish imports, draining foreign currency and undermining food sovereignty.
The Kounki project directly addresses these challenges by adopting an integrated ecosystem approach. As noted by World Bank representative Koulako Camara, this innovation will help restore biodiversity, protect the seabed, and preserve mangroves—critical nursery habitats for fish species. By safeguarding these natural assets, the project ensures long-term productivity and resilience for coastal communities.
Key Components of the Kounki Project
The project is structured around four interconnected components, as outlined by project coordinator Youssef Hawa Camara:
1. Sustainable and Community-Based Fisheries Management
This component focuses on empowering local fishing communities to take an active role in managing their resources. It includes training on sustainable fishing techniques, establishing community-led monitoring systems, and strengthening the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. By involving fishermen and women in decision-making, the project ensures that management practices are culturally appropriate and locally effective.
2. Value Chain Development
To maximize economic returns, the project will modernize landing infrastructure at five maritime sites and one continental site. This includes improving sanitary conditions, reducing post-capture losses (which can exceed 30% in some areas), and enhancing product quality to meet international standards. The goal is to triple annual fish production to 35,000 tons by 2031, reducing imports and boosting local food security.
3. Resilience of Targeted Communities
Coastal communities are on the front lines of climate change, facing rising sea levels, coastal erosion, and more frequent storms. This component invests in disaster risk reduction measures, such as early warning systems, mangrove restoration, and climate-smart aquaculture practices. It also promotes livelihood diversification—for example, training women in fish processing and marketing, or supporting small-scale fish farming as an alternative to wild capture.
4. Project Management and Coordination
Effective implementation requires robust governance. This component ensures transparent financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and stakeholder engagement. Lessons from past projects will be systematically applied to avoid pitfalls and maximize impact.
Expected Impact: A Triple Win for Guinea
The Kounki project is expected to directly benefit 65,000 people, the majority of whom are women—a critical demographic in the fisheries sector, where women dominate processing and trading. The anticipated outcomes include:
- Economic Growth: Tripling fish production to 35,000 tons annually will reduce import dependency, improve food security, and preserve national currency. Each ton produced locally saves foreign exchange and creates jobs along the value chain.
- Environmental Restoration: By protecting mangroves and seabeds, the project will restore biodiversity and enhance carbon sequestration, contributing to global climate goals.
- Social Stability: With new jobs, diversified livelihoods, and improved infrastructure, coastal communities will become more resilient to economic and environmental shocks.
As Minister of Fisheries and Maritime Economy Fassou Théa emphasized, the Kounki project goes beyond fishing—it integrates dimensions of environment, employment, training, financing, and land use planning, making it a true pillar of national development.
Challenges and the Path Forward
Despite its promise, the project faces significant hurdles. Overfishing in the Atlantic Ocean remains a persistent threat, and illegal fishing by foreign vessels continues to deplete stocks. Prime Minister Amadou Oury Bah has called for sustainable alternatives, particularly fish farming, to reduce pressure on wild fisheries. He also stressed the importance of learning from past initiatives to ensure the Kounki project’s success.
Boubacar Sidy Diallo, representing local fishermen, hailed the project as “an initiative that brings hope for the transformation of the Guinean fisheries system.” However, he cautioned that genuine community engagement and transparent governance will be essential to turning this hope into reality.
Conclusion: A Blueprint for Coastal Transformation
The Kounki project is more than a development program—it is a blueprint for how coastal nations can balance economic growth with environmental stewardship and social equity. By investing in sustainable fisheries, climate resilience, and community empowerment, Guinea is charting a new destiny for its coasts. If successful, the project could serve as a model for other West African nations facing similar challenges.