Dried fish provide widespread access to critical nutrients across Africa

Robinson, James P W and O'Meara, Lydia and Fiorella, Kathryn J and Byrd, Kendra A and Kjellevold, Marian and Ansong, Richard S and Aura, Christopher Mulanda and Mwirigi, Naftaly and Allegretti, Antonio and Karkarey, Rucha and Lamont, Tim A C and Maire, Eva and Martin, Sarah M and Omukoto, Johnstone O and Standen, Sophie and Gephart, Jessica A and Graham, Nicholas A J and Thilsted, Shakuntala H and Hicks, Christina C (2025) Dried fish provide widespread access to critical nutrients across Africa. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 122 (39): e242684412. ISSN 0027-8424

Abstract

Aquatic foods are essential in supporting food security and nutrition across the tropics, with "dried" fish particularly affordable, available, and nutritious. However, dried fish food systems are often hidden and overlooked due to data scarcity, limiting understanding of how dried fish contribute to nutrient intakes. Here, we combine nutrient analysis of fish samples with national household surveys from across East and West Africa to understand the importance of dried fish in diets. We find that small portions of dried fish contribute over 15% of recommended intakes for multiple essential dietary nutrients (calcium, iodine, iron, selenium, zinc, and vitamins B12 and D), with low heavy metal concentrations, and are consumed weekly by ~one-third of households in six countries (Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda) (~144 million people). Dried fish consumption was more prevalent than fresh fish, reaching 54% more people, particularly those in poor households and near to marine coastlines or urban centers. The widespread prevalence of nutritious dried fish suggests that these foods and their distribution networks play critical roles in food security and nutrition, even in households distant from fisheries or urban centers. Dried fish can fill nutrient gaps across the tropics but will require policies that mitigate negative effects of overfishing, environmental changes, and competition with international markets, while providing postharvest support to fish processors.