The United Nations designated 2022 as the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA 2022). The global action plan emphasized the objective for the year as “a world in which smallscale artisanal fishers, fish farmers and fishworkers of both genders are fully acknowledged and empowered to sustainably manage their aquatic resources and foster socioeconomic development”. As a part of this initiative, social movements and organizations representing small-scale fisheries (SSF) were encouraged to seize the opportunity to enhance the visibility of SSF and their significant social, cultural and economic contributions.

The International Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC), an international platform representing small-scale food producers at the global level, participated in the celebrations through the efforts of the IPC Fishers’ Working Group (FWG). The group held the role of Vice-Chair within the IYAFA steering committee, contributing to the successful realization of IYAFA’s goals.