The International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture 2022 (IYAFA) was celebrated worldwide. It provided a global platform to highlight the importance of small-scale fisheries and artisanal aquaculture, their role in sustainable development and the myriad of ways they ensure food security and poverty alleviation in dependent coastal and rural communities. As the lead agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) co-ordinated with member countries, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and partners to organize meetings, seminars and consultations around the world.

All these partners have a stake in supporting small-scale fisheries and aquaculture. They have highlighted the need to support the implementation of the international instruments in support of sustainable fisheries, particularly the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) and the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (the SSF Guidelines)