🌍🐟 I am pleased to share that the Science-Policy Lab on Innovations for Sustainable Aquatic Food Systems, held from December 8–10 in Cape Town, was a success! Conducted within the EU-funded Sustainable Agri-Food Systems Intelligence–Science-Policy Interface (SASi-SPi) project led by Agrinatura, the lab was organized under the LIMAQUA initiative (part of the UN Ocean Decade Programme AfriMAQUA) and co-led by Brett Macey, Marissa Brink-Hull, and myself, alongside the invaluable support of Vuyokazi Kutu and Reginah Mdhluvu.
🤝 The participatory event brought together stakeholders from academia, government, the private sector, and civil society from ten African countries – South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia, Seychelles, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and Malawi. Our goal was to co-create recommendations for building and strengthening innovation ecosystems that foster holistic and inclusive innovation, driving the transformation of aquatic food systems. Throughout the lab, participants engaged in meaningful discussions, identified key challenges and opportunities, and outlined actionable steps toward more sustainable, inclusive, and equitable aquatic food systems.
🙏 I extend my sincere gratitude to all the participants who contributed their expertise and time. Your valuable insights and collaborative efforts have established a solid foundation for future initiatives that integrate science, policy, and practice to support the transformation of aquatic food systems.
🙏 I also extend my thanks to the #SASiSPi team:
KONSTANTINOS KARANTININIS, Rodomiro Ortiz, Fatima Laanouni, Francesconi Nicola, Myriam PEREZ DUMOULIN, Maria Lee, Julie Newton, Coen Buvelot, Sheikh Mohamed Alpha Janneh, Marwan Alamrani
#Sustainability #AquaticFoodSystems #Innovation #SciencePolicy #Collaboration #SustainableDevelopment
Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE)
IRD, MARine Biodiversity Exploitation and Conservation MARBEC
