18th session of the Committee for Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture of Africa (CIFAA)

The Committee for Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture of Africa CIFAA is the regional fishery body for inland fisheries and aquaculture in Africa. In its 18th session, held in Bamako, an agenda item on the SSF Guidelines was included for the first time. The participants from 28 countries across the continent learnt more about the SSF Guidelines and how they are relevant to inland fisheries and related value chains. They discussed the need for awareness raising, capacity building and challenges with regard to competition for resources, including the need to better understand and address conflicts between small-scale fisheries and aquaculture development.

© FAO

Small-scale fisheries dominate the inland fisheries sector in Africa and play a crucial role in food security and livelihoods. The SSF Guidelines are referred to in the fisheries section of the African Union Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa and are hence linked to the regional policy framework. It was agreed that CIFAA should support the implementation of the SSF Guidelines and recommended that its member countries develop plans of action for this purpose.

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