AfDB Donates Laboratory Equipment to Strengthen Fisheries and Food Safety in the DRC
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has donated state-of-the-art laboratory equipment to the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Bureau of Standards, a move set to strengthen food safety, fisheries governance and economic growth.
The handover, held on 22 August under the Programme for Improving Fisheries Governance and Blue Economy Trade Corridors in the Southern African Development Community Region (PROFISHBLUE), included nearly two dozen items such as calibration weights, water distillers and centrifuge tubes. The upgrade will allow the DRC to conduct internationally recognised tests on fish and fishery products, addressing gaps identified by the SADC Regional Gap Analysis Study.
“This is not just about machines, it’s about empowering national institutions to protect consumers, boost trade, and drive economic empowerment,” said Edson Mpyisi, the Bank’s Chief Financial Economist.
Since its inception, the PROFISHBLUE initiative has worked to promote sustainable fisheries management, improve food and nutritional security, enhance intra-regional trade and build resilience across the 16 SADC member states. It is expected to create around 250,000 direct and indirect jobs through fisheries value chain activities.
Dr Hermogene Nsengimana, Secretary-General of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO), emphasised the wider significance: “By equipping the DRC’s Bureau of Standards, we are ensuring that fisheries products meet continental and international benchmarks, thereby advancing African integration under the AfCFTA.”
Despite the SADC region’s waters being rich in commercial species such as tuna, hake, squid, octopus, shrimp and lobster, production remains low, below three million tonnes annually, representing just 2% of global output. PROFISHBLUE, due to conclude in December 2025, aims to close this gap by improving competitiveness and unlocking access to regional and international markets.
The donation demonstrates the power of partnerships between AfDB, the Government of the DRC, ARSO and SADC. It also offers a model for replication across Africa as countries align standards to strengthen intra-African trade under the AfCFTA.
“This is an investment not just in technology, but in people, prosperity, and Africa’s shared future,” Mpyisi added.
