Small scale fisheries and aquaculture make significant contributions to development through employment, food security, nutrition, and trade. Over 41 million people worldwide work in fish production, mainly in developing countries. With wild fisheries depleted, aquaculture will be needed to meet growing demand for fish. However, governments must manage aquaculture's potential environmental and social impacts as it expands. African aquaculture faces challenges like lack of access to resources and credit that have slowed its growth compared to other regions. Improving post-harvest processing can also help reduce fish losses and meet demand. While aquaculture can negatively impact land and water resources, it can also provide benefits like increased irrigation during drought when integrated into pond systems.