Responsible fish farming creates jobs in Zambia and Uganda
With Finland’s assistance, the Yalelo company has expanded its operations, now employing 2,000 people across Zambia.
Originally a Zambian company, Yalelo is a pioneer of responsible fish farming and one of the largest fish farmers in Africa. With the help of the Finnish development financier and impact investor Finnfund, the company has expanded and developed its operations and now also operates in Uganda.
In 2025, Yalelo strengthened the region’s food security by producing 29,000 tons of responsibly farmed tilapia in Zambia and Uganda. The amount corresponds to more than one-third of all the fish consumed annually as food in Finland. Fish is an important source of protein in the diets of many Zambians and Ugandans. Yalelo employed around 2,000 people, 19 percent of whom were women.
The company is also committed to improving the quality of jobs. With the support from Finnfund and using technology from the Finnish company WorkAhead, Yalelo has conducted surveys that allow employees to give anonymous feedback and share their ideas for development. This initiative has also collected valuable information about the impact of these jobs on the living standards of employees and their families.
Background
In developing countries, the private sector plays a key role in creating new jobs, livelihoods and income, as well as in developing products and services that meet the needs of poor people. A strong, responsible and innovative private sector supports sustainable economic development and societal stability.
Support for the fisheries and aquaculture sector in Zambia and Uganda helps diversify value chains, create jobs and increase the supply of sustainably produced animal protein. In Yalelo’s case, the support also promotes gender equality, especially through the employment and business opportunities generated along Zambia’s value chain.
Support and funding
Supporting the economy and employment in developing countries is one of the priorities of Finland’s development policy. Finland supports employment through various forms of cooperation. In 2019, Finnfund financed Yalelo by a 9 million dollar development policy investment.