COFI Speaker’s Corner: Social Protection for Small-Scale Fisheries: Protecting People, Fish, and Food

Session overview:

On Friday 5 July, FAO and the World Bank, in collaboration with the Governments of Brazil and Kenya, organized a session at the FAO Headquarters in Rome in the COFI Speaker’s Corner entitled “Social protection for small-scale fisheries: protecting people, fish and food”. This session highlighted the critical role of social protection in the fisheries sector and its potential to mitigate economic shocks, climate change impacts and socio-economic inequalities. Experts discussed innovative strategies and measures to improve social protection and support for small-scale fishers and fish workers.

Key highlights and quotes:

Daniela Kalikoski, FAO Fishery Officer, emphasized that social protection is an investment: "Expanding the coverage of social protection for fishers is not a cost - it is a key investment for an inclusive Blue Transformation that leaves no one behind."

Gunilla Tegelskär Greig from the World Bank stressed integrating social protection and fisheries management: "Integrating social protection and jobs interventions with fisheries management is key for enabling sustainable fisheries - protecting people, fish and food."

Rodrick Kundu discussed the sustainable development of small-scale fisheries in Kenya, highlighting the need for a multi-sectoral approach to support vulnerable fishers. He explained: "A multi-agency approach is a prerequisite to enable social protection and labour market policy support for sustainable investments in artisanal fisheries."

Ricardo Bacelette provided insights into Brazil's "Seguro-Defeso" policy, stating: "The Brazilian experience with environmental, social, and economic impact policy for Closed-Fishing Insurance demonstrates the multifaceted benefits of comprehensive social protection measures."

Conclusion:

The session demonstrated the transformative potential of expanding social protection in the fisheries sector. By learning from Brazil and Kenya, the global community can ensure that small-scale fishers and fisheries workers receive the support they need to succeed. This collective effort is essential to promoting sustainable fisheries, improving food security and fostering socio-economic resilience.