Forum global sur la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition (Forum FSN)

Section 3.3.

(p.18) Pierce and O’Connor (2014 forthcoming) assessed impact on  poor communes in North Vietnam of oyster farming implementation under an ACIAR project. Findings showed the dual nature of ‘fish for food and fish for cash’

(p.24) North Vietnamese oyster farmers also often have diversified land-based and water based farming cash crops which spreads the risk and seasonal factors (Pierce and O’Connor (2014 forthcoming).

p.25) In North Vietnam oyster farming has had the wider impact on the community of improved sanitation and better life quality options across the range of community capitals (natural, human, social, human, social and produced (Pierce and O’Connor 2014 forthcoming). This positive impact from oyster farming was also reflected in South Australian oyster farming communities, particularly with focus on maintaining water quality (Pierce and Robinson 2012).

Section 3.5.

(p. 34) Re:Women in food insecure households fishing for household consumption: this could be broadened as in Vietnam oyster farming (Pierce and O’Connor 2014 forthcoming) to show there are women who both fish for household consumption as well as to provide a cash crop (e.g. women only oyster farms some of whom are sole income families). Women in North Vietnam also having women only oyster farms.

p. 36: Re fishing as a secondary source of income in Australia (Pierce and Robinson 2013) highlighted in the Australian context extra work in oyster farming supplemented other seasonal farming work or added to the income base. In the Vietnam study (Pierce and O’Connor, 2014 forthcoming) noted a similar trend with diversified water farming and land based farming income crops. This has value both for the oyster farm owners and their workers to ensure continuous income and food supply.

Section 3.6.

(p.39) The tendency of supply and demand and who benefits. Price determination moving more into the control of the buyers rather than the fish farmers as more aquaculture  farmers move into the market was shown to be reflected both in the developed world context in Australia (Pierce and Robinson 2013) and in the developing country context (Vietnam) Pierce and O’Connor (2014 forthcoming). Food security therefore also needs to be considered in relation to security for fish suppliers to ensure a fair income.

Section 4.2.

(p.63) Gendered fish sector work was found to occur (Pierce 2012) in oyster farming in Australia with women more as partners and co-managers. However as women moved more from the more remote land farms to operate in town based oyster farms, their visibility and therefore opportunities to become more involved in community leadership roles increased. However their aquaculture roles were more focussed on being the visible face for sales and marketing, lighter work, and oyster processing, but all roles can be engaged in. Oyster farm management was predominantly male driven in Vietnam with women in mainly oyster farming and processing work, and sales. However some women in Vietnam are moving into owning and managing their own oyster farms (Pierce and O’Connor 2014 forthcoming). Oyster associations in the Australian context  are predominantly male in membership and appear to be similar in composition in the Vietnamese context also (no figures provided).

(p.68) Unlike findings of Allison et al 2011), in South Australia on the Eyre Peninsula there is a best practice school aquaculture program open to  both male and female students who receive school education whilst receiving training on a real oyster lease to set them up for sustainable skills to operate an oyster business in their community (Pierce and Robinson 2013; Pierce and McKay 2008).

Recommendation from Pierce: Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture need to look at impact across more than just the income and environment. Findings (Pierce and Robinson 2013) and Pierce and O’Connor (2014 forthcoming)   in the Australian and Vietnamese context of a developed and developing country highlight the interdependence of the environment, economic, institutional, social and produced capital factors to achieve sustainable aquaculture for the people and their communities.

A study done by Pierce in conjunction with ACIAR on their project in North Vietnam captured this holistic  approach to food security in the oyster farming context:food security is the key to life and community security

http://aciar.gov.au/files/node/14983/incoming_earnings_pdf_64140.pdf

REFERENCES

Pierce, J and O’Connor, W. 2014 (forthcoming) ‘Impact of Oyster Farming on Rural Community Sustainability in North Vietnam’,  in S.Sandhu, S. McKenzie and H. Harris (eds), Linking Local and Global Sustainability, Dordrecht NL: Springer.

Pierce, J and Robinson,G. 2012, "Oysters Thrive in the Right Environment: The Social Sustainability of Oyster Farming in the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia", Marine Policy Journal.

Pierce J and J McKay 2008, “ Our community capitals as we see them through photovoice: Cowell oyster industry in South Australia”, Australian Journal of Environmental Management, vol 15, p 159-168

Dear HLPE,

Please see below some of my comments based on Bangladesh situation. I would be glad to add more if it is worth.

(i) Women and food security:  Over 11 % of total population engaged in fisheries and aquaculture and out of them about 10% are women in Bangladesh (DOF, 2013). Involvement of women is not always recognized and recorded well in Bangladesh.

(ii) In sectorial tradeoffs and food security: In Bangladesh, there are antagonistic relations between fisheries and non-fisheries sectors. For example, there was a court case lodged by an environmental NGO named BELA (Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association) against fisheries (DG, Secretary, Minister) for destroying forest, environment and livelihoods across coastal region by shrimp farming (Rfe:?) . In that case fisheries people fought in favor of thousands of coastal inhabitants farming fish and shrimp. In saline coastal region, none can do other farming except shrimp and fish due to salinity.  Instead of real trade-off for food security, the Dept of Agriculture, Department of Forest, Department of Environment and Wader Development Board stood against fisheries farmers. The impact was farms were remain barren following lack of saline water access by Water Board, planted rice did not grow well because both land and water are saline, and thousands of shrimp farmers were accused and sued (Ref:?) for setting sluice gates in their shrimp farms.

(iii) Environmental sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture:  In many areas , fisheries and aquaculture are not getting due attention for development in the fear of Environmental sustainability. Farmers are being dictated to do something or stop something – which is not good for food security. Propaganda by some quarters having vested interest, food security has been threatened.

(iv) Fisheries and aquaculture interaction:  Apart from use of fish meal, shrimp PL collection from wild sources, harvesting fry and juvenile (Hilsha) has important interactions affecting food security. Other interactions deserve attention are use of destructive gear (set-bag nets, fine meshed nets, poison fishing) and crafts including over fishing and/or over using fish and shrimp trawlers for marine capture. Such interactions have both short and long term food security implications for the resource users.        

With best regards,

Md. Nuruzzaman

Comments from Norges Vel to HLPE Aquaculture and Fisheries 0 Draft Report

The report gives valuable input to the various issues analysed. The Royal Norwegian Society for Development (Norges Vel) agrees to the overall recommendations given.

1. We agree completely with the focus on SMEs for developing aquaculture. One has to focus on the whole value chain where SMEs are one of various actors to achieve lasting and significant developments. SMEs can be organized in business units such as a cooperative or AS/AS Ltd. They can include both medium scale and smaller farmers.

Through SMES, small and medium scale farmers can organize together to respond to local and regional market demands. They can access common input (fingerlings, fertilization/ feed, investments), technical knowledge and apply common quality standards and together ensure quality products and regular production. We believe SMEs can create work places, income increase and improved nutrition. They can create sustainable development of the sector.     

1. Can contributions be given to food security through production of fish for food and fish for sale? We agree that a careful balance needs to be struck between aquaculture of fish for sale and for own consumption. Production for sale will limit possibilities for own consumption, but might be achieved with consumption eg. of only smallest 10% of the fish reared in  aquaculture. The remaining part of produce is sold and generates profits in the SMEs. This is our experience from Madagascar.

In eg. MPAs, our experience from Madagascar shows that fishing can be reduced when aquaculture is promoted (time used for aquaculture limits time available for fishing, and aquaculture generates sufficient income to maintain fishing only at low level). With profitable aquaculture being carried out (in this case seaweed and sea cucumber farming for export) parallel to continuation of some local fishing – both income, food, export earnings and stock maintenance/ improvement is ensured.     

1. Food waste should be included in the report. We know that marine value chains are very vulnerable to production of food waste. Less food wasted equals more food available for food and poverty reduction from fish farming/ aquaculture. Since a report recently has been written on this theme, the main conclusions from the FAO report on food waste should be integrated into the present report. This will add a further dimension to the report.
2. We strongly support FAOs recommendation to look at the whole value chain to see women's position in fisheries and aquaculture. We believe in combining technical, entrepreneurial, financial and organizational training for both women and men through systems of Training of Trainers in order to reach out to more farmers and to strengthen their capacities in existing and new parts of the value chains as relevant.  We also fully agree to involving men and women in sensitization about cultural values and limitations for improving gender relations and women's participation, in order that specific plans/ strategies at local level can be elaborated by people themselves, and implemented based on local empowerment processes which need to continue through local organizations developed.
3. To succeed with the above, it is important that the governments provide an enabling environment: access to improved genetics as highlighted in the report, together with access to improved management and access to input for fertilisation/ feed is important, but also important is that the state gives the frameworks through relevant policies and laws for developing the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in close collaboration with local communities/ associations and SMEs in addition to larger companies in relevant value chains.
4. Savings and credit: After models for aquaculture are seen to be profitable – and only after this in practice – access to savings and credit must be ensured for relevant SMEs. This can promote further business development of the aquaculture sector.
5. Using seaweed and other marine ingredients for fish feed should be promoted – it is already used to a certain degree (eg. in Norway), but should be further investigated as much as possible. Large fish feed companies (eg. EWOS) already participate in pilots for testing IMTA in Norway, but there is a need of course to upscale to reach substantial amounts – it is also worked on in other regions – and could (should?) be an area to be assessed / worked more on also for developing countries. Norges Vel has successful experience from working in this area both in Norway (pilots) and internationally (seaweed cultivation for poverty reduction/ Madagascar – as done in Asia by a large amount of coastal people).

Norges Vel can contribute with more specific examples related to the comments here given if this is wished for.

Sincerely,

Anne Mugaas

Senior Advisor

The Royal Norwegian Society for Development

Please find below some comments on the report.

The team has done an excellent job on this first draft and I hope that you find these thoughts useful in preparing the next version.

This is a compilation of comments from several staff at WorldFish.

Regards

Stephen J. Hall

Director General

WorldFish

General Comments

This report will provide a welcome contribution to the global food security debate and a broader appreciation of the role of fish in FNS. There is general agreement that fish can play a greater role in providing for a food secure future. In order for that to happen the dominant narrative around fish needs to shift. This report is a welcome move in the right direction.

Below we provide some comments and references that may be of interest (see also appended pdfs). The report is an early draft and needs a great deal of editing; as a result we have not offered any copy editing comment. Particular care will need to be taken in future versions of this document to make the referencing more comprehensive. Cite original data sources and or citations for empirical papers, opinion pieces and synthetic reviews in the text and figures/tables (e.g. Figures 3.3 and 3.4).

Specific Comments

Chapter 3

• The paper deals extensively with the many pathways for improved nutrition. It also takes into consideration the current literature and debate on the linkages between agriculture and nutrition, and in particular the role of fish as an animal-source food of multiple macro-and micronutrients for nutrient contribution to vulnerable population groups, in particular women and young children. The text may benefit from an expanded introduction to ‘why people eat fish’.
• The contribution to nutrient requirements and health benefits are presented in a very convincing manner, but it could be argued that it is more bullish than the scientific evidence can really bear.
• The report should make more of the role of fish as a source of micronutrients in the complementary food of children from the age of 24 months.
• Special mention should be made of the special role of dried fish in the diets of the poor and “hard to reach” population groups, as well as food safety issues regarding processing (e.g. use of contaminants and excess salt).  
• Pg 17:  The issue of heavy metal content in large fishes is given only cursory mention. The impact of mercury in tuna is an issue that continues to claim consumer attention in developed country markets and should be discussed in more detail.
• Figure 3.1 is difficult to follow and appears to be of limited value as a heuristic tool for conceptualizing pathways in the use of fish
• Pg 24 and onward:  The ‘fish for cash’ section is poorly developed and omits reference to a large literature on the local trade of fish
• Pg 29: The ‘Fisheries Crisis’ section is poorly developed and does not adequately represent a complex and heterogeneous literature
• More needs to be made of the geographic differences in the supply and utilization of fish.  For example, (i) in 2008, Dey et al. reported that about 61% of the world supply of fish comes from Asia where a large proportion is consumed domestically. The paper also noted that as per capita income and population grow in most Asian countries, there will be tremendous increases in fish demand that are expected to come mostly from the poorer sector of the economy.; (ii)  FAO has previously reported that China is increasing its demand for fish and may have implications in global fish supply and consumption – this needs to be teased out, (iii) obesity and diabetes are rapidly becoming a major heath issue in some Pacific countries – the role of fish and the changes in diet adoption of western diets needs to be highlighted.  As these simple examples highlight, there are many geographic differences in the supply and use of fish – there can therefore be no global prescriptions for the better use of fish in improving nutrition and food security.
• Rather surprisingly, climate change rates barely a mention. Climate change will change the availability of fish, and change the distribution of supply and consumption.  Analyses of the implications of CC on the role of fish in FNS would be welcome. This should be developed. Some references are noted below or appended as pdfs.

Chapter 4

• The inclusion of a gender focus is welcome and the text comprehensive.  Please find attached documentation of a recent consultation on social relations and food and nutrition security organized by FAO (http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/forum/discussions/networks-for-FS) . Even though it is not specifically focused on fisheries and aquaculture, it gives some good insights into the gender relations-nutrition nexus.

Chapter 5

• Page 74, lines 14 – 20. The argument against the prevailing IUU narrative as one that characterizes small-scale fishers as “roving bandits” seems rather gratuitous. IUU debates certainly focus on high seas fisheries, but to argue by extension that the IUU label is also demonizing small-scale fisheries seems a stretch.

Chapter 8

• Mention might be made here of the value of rapid restoration and re-stocking of small-scale aquaculture ponds following natural disasters. Following the tsunami in Aceh, this was a rapid way to establish a cash and food generating activity in the months following the immediate humanitarian relief efforts. Re-establishing gardens and crop production took much longer.

Some references that may be of use (see also some attached pdfs)

Allison, E. H., A. L. Perry, M. C. Badjeck, W. N. Adger, K. Brown, D. Conway, A. S. Halls, G. M. Pilling, J. D. Reynolds, N. L. Andrew, and N. K.  Dulvy. 2009. Vulnerability of national economies to the impacts of climate change on fisheries. Fish and Fisheries 10:173-196.

Badjeck, M.-C., E. H. Allison, A. S. Halls, and N. K. Dulvy. 2010. Impacts of climate variability and change on fishery-based livelihoods. Marine Policy 34:375-383.

Bell, J. D., C. Reid, M. J. Batty, P. Lehodey, L. Rodwell, A. J. Hobday, J. E. Johnson, and A. Demmke. 2013. Effects of climate change on oceanic fisheries in the tropical Pacific: implications for economic development and food security. Climatic Change 119:199-212.

Beveridge MCM, Thilsted SH, Phillips MJ, Metian M, Troell M, Hall SJ (2013). Meeting the food and nutrition needs of the poor: the role of fish and the opportunities and constraints emerging from the rise of aquaculture. Journal of Fisheries Biology, 83, 1067-1084.

Branch, T. A., B. M. De Joseph, L. J. Ray, and C. A. Wagner. 2013. Impacts of ocean acidification on marine seafood production. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 28:168-186.

Delgado, C L 2003 Rising consumption of meat and milk in developing countries has created a new food revolution. Journal of Nutrition,133, 3907S-3910S.

Gallet, G. A. (2009). The demand for fish: a meta-analysis of the own-price elasticity. Aquaculture Economics and Management 13, 235–245. doi: 10.1080/13657300903123985.

Kabahenda, M. K., Amega, R., Okalany, E., Husken, S. M. C. & Heck, S. (2012). Protein and micronutrient composition of low-value fish products commonly marketed in the Lake Victoria region. World Journal of Agricultural Sciences 7, 521–526.

Leung, T. L. F., and A. E. Bates. 2013. More rapid and severe disease outbreaks for aquaculture at the tropics: implications for food security. Journal of Applied Ecology 50:215-222.

Murshed-e-Jahan, K., Ahmed, M. & Belton, B. 2010. The impact of aquaculture development on food security: lessons from Bangladesh. Aquaculture Research 41(4): 481-495.

Rae, A. N. 1998.  The effects of expenditure growth and urbanization on food consumption in East Asia: a note on animal products. Agriculture Economics, 18, 291–299.

Speedy, A. W. (2003). Global production and consumption of animal source foods. Journal of Nutrition 133, 4048S–4053S.

Sumaila, U. R., W. W. L. Cheung, V. W. Y. Lam, D. Pauly, and S. Herrick. 2011. Climate change impacts on the biophysics and economics of world fisheries. Nature Climate Change 1:449-456.

Thilsted SH (2013). Fish diversity and fish consumption in Bangladesh. In: J Fanzo, D Hunter, T Borelli, F Mattei, eds. Diversifying Food and Diets: Using Agricultural Biodiversity to Improve Nutrition and Health. Earthscan, London. pp 270-282.

Wet-paddy fields are a tremendous source of protein-rich food, income and livelihoods to people in the Delta regions. The countries in the region include Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam and parts of Thailand. The first three countries are perhaps some of the few in the world where the application of agro-chemcials is not heavy as elsewhere. However, there is an increasing trend of application into wet-paddy lands. This has created a substantial loss of protein-rich food and livelhoods for the majority population who depend on the collection, sale and consumption of fish, crabs, prawns, snails, insects and other creatures from paddy fields. 

The attached pictures show the dependency of people in Delta region on the free-harvesting of creatures frm paddy fields. Measures to reduce chemcial application is warranted to save livelihoods of the majority living in Delta areas.

Sir / Madam,

Please find the enclosed broucher on Fisher Women Entrepreneurship & Success Stories. You may find some information.

VijayaThanks & regards,

Prof.(Mrs) Vijaya Khader, PhD

Former Dean, Acharya N G R A University, Hyderabad &

Principal Investigator, Food Technology, e-PG Pathshala

9848054853||040-27052759

Women comprised of almost half of the fishing communities and their roles have not been fully developed. The traditional gender roles remain intact and those responsible for the development of small scale fishing communities remain gender blind or consider themselves gender neutral. Enhancing women's roles in fishing sector especially in the post harvest or processing will help enhance food security and eventually help eradicate poverty which remain high among fishing sector even in Malaysia.

Focusing the development human resources in the fishing sector will eventually help eradicate poverty and achieve food security. Efforts should be undertaken to integrate gender into the development of small scale fishing sector. Those responsible in the policy and program formulation must be gender sensitize as to enable them to address the gender issues in the sector. 

More research on the fishing communities are needed to provide better understanding of the dynamic of the community as input into the evidence based planning.

Dear Madam/Sir,

thank you for your kind focus of the role of fisheries and aquaculture in contributing in food security. Fishery (namely traditional and small scale fishery including collection) and aquaculture contribution to food security is in my knowledge underextimated (contributing as in the case of the Mali to the livelihood and benefits sharing of rural populations and before the recent problems to the third voice of the internal production, with no enogh resources (human, capacity and financial) to contribute to the sustainable and equitably managent the sector or eg in The Gambia were the actual level of governance (DoF and civil sosciety) risks to not have the needed capacity to accomplish the on-going and planned fishery development strategies.     

Let me stress some key factors

Governance : co-management and decentralisation or deconcentration are procedures that are still unfortunately on the paper (lack of human resources, trained and fincial instruments). This procedure could be better overcome at country level compresied in a procedure of regionalisation and transfer of knowledge/solidarity among the concerned countries.

Gender : the role of the women is still underestimated and the new valid associations (eg. Try Oyster. women collectors in The Gambia) can risk to survive in the long term to the on-going programmes/projects, if not further supported bytheend of the programmes/projects. Please, kindly find attached a FAO report with some interesting figures on the role of the women in fisheries.

Hope it will be useful.

Looking forward to hear from you, let me thank you, Madam/Sir, for the efforts that your Organization do to enhance the International cooperation, sustainable development and to eradicate poverty and hunger.

Sincerely.

Gianluca RAGUSA - International consultant (Fishery and aquaculture)

Via Tuscia, 7 - 00191 Rome (Italy)

Ph: (+39) 063291240

Mb: (+39) 3393096798

Dans l'attente, veuillez agréer, Madame/Monsieur, l’expression de mes remerciements les plus vives pour les efforts de vôtre Organisation dans les domaines de la coopération International, du développement durable, de l’éradication de la pauvreté et de la faim dans le monde.

Salutations sincères.

 

Gianluca RAGUSA – Consultant international (Pêche et  aquaculture).

Via Tuscia, 7

00191 Rome (Italie)

Tel.: (+39) 063291240

Mobile: (+39) 3393096798

Some policy aspects & recommendations on the zero draft paper titled: “The Role of Sustainable Fisheries & Aquaculture for Food Security & Nutrition”, by Ali Ibrahim Elkhalil  from SUDAN                         

The zero draft report contains lot of information enough to produce an excellent  report but of course it needs some fine tuning & editing which I do strongly believe that the paper committee is quite capable of doing it.                                                                 

Some Policy Aspects:

Lack of clear & practical government policies towards developing fisheries resources as in the case of Sudan though it is well endowed with a variety of fresh & marine water fish from the red sea , river nile & tributaries , flood plains & swamps.                             

Weak marketing structures accompanied with the remoteness of catching centers

Focusing on fish  & ignoring aquaculture 

Lack of awareness with regard to the importance of fish & aquaculture in food security & nutrition

Fish farming is still limited in some countries though conditions are conducive and encouraging

Recommendations: FAO should help  & encourage member states to plan for & develop this sector for the sake of poor & their health& nutrition in particular countries with good resources:

- strengthening marketing & transport structures

- cancelling  all types of taxes & fees imposed on this sector                

Dear Partners,

We have to use evidence in treating food security issues.

We the Nigerian women aa farmers association have contributed immensely in Nigerian Agriculture growth including water and food security.

W have clusters and thematic groups and we have practically trained and empowered and returned to farms women in rural communities in Nigeria.

These women are in fisheries, aguaculture and other areas. I am using pictures to show some of our work and evidences of women we have touched and our contributions to food security.

Please expect our pictures as Pdf  on my next submission and look at this examples.