Unlocking the potential of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific
The 3rd Virtual Tour of the FISH4ACP Programme took participants to Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Marshall Islands to meet people directly involved in fisheries and aquaculture value chains.
With more than 100 participants attending, the tour enabled the fisherfolk and the audience to discuss and share challenges and opportunities related to fish and aquaculture value chains in various countries. It delved deeper into the question of how to feed populations strongly dependent on safe and nutritious fish, while protecting the oceans and supporting human development.
Migration of human and natural capital, local and national government support to fish producers and investments in capacity-building and knowledge, innovations and new techniques were identified as some of the main challenges. Participants agreed that the development of structured value chains to ensure food security and livelihoods is one of the main ways to bring about an efficient and sustainable blue transformation. The upcoming UN Food Systems Summit will be an important milestone in this regard.
Directorate-General for International Partnerships Head of Unit for Sustainable Agri-Food Systems and Fisheries Leonard Mizzi told the audience that he considers the Fish4ACP a strongly inspirational programme due to the connections it makes between policy-makers and realities on the ground.
Mizzi said that a multistakeholder and holistic approach with farmers at its core is essential to achieve sustainability in its three dimensions. ”The future should bring smart policy-making where science, digital solutions and human capital can contribute to efficiently transform food systems,” he noted. The importance of generational renewal, a reduction in the average age of farmers, and higher wages for farmers and small-scale producers in fisheries values chains were also highlighted.