The Aquaculture Consortium’s Post

In light of current global crises, food security and livelihoods are significant challenges in the Middle East and Africa. Issues such as armed conflicts and climate change directly impact food availability and the sustainability of livelihoods. The fear of potential conflicts in the Middle East adds to the region's challenges.Improving livelihoods requires providing sustainable job opportunities through investment in education and vocational training, enhancing local entrepreneurship, and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. Additionally, we must strengthen resilient agricultural systems and develop supportive policies, investing in modern technologies to boost agricultural production and reduce food waste.Equally important is the support for livestock and livestock owners, as livestock is a crucial component of food security and economic stability in many regions. Providing resources and training to livestock owners can significantly enhance their productivity and resilience.The challenges we face are an opportunity to collaborate and work together to find innovative and effective solutions. By supporting joint efforts between governments, international organizations, the private sector, and local communities, we can build a safer and more prosperous future for everyone. #FoodSecurity #Livelihoods #MiddleEast #Africa #SustainableDevelopment #InternationalCooperation #Livestock #LinkedIn

#LocalNews Rural communities in the Sepik region are benefiting from improved access to financial services and literacy through a partnership between Mama Bank and the EU-STREIT program in Papua New Guinea. This initiative is led by five UN agencies—primarily the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), along with UNCDF, ILO, UNDP, and ITU—and aims to empower farmers in cocoa, vanilla, and fisheries to save money and increase their income. Read more: https://ow.ly/5xKq50UtVns #FAO #FinancialServices #EUSTREITProgram #Agriculture #Fisheries #PapuaNewGuinea #TVWANNews

Benin, a historical powerhouse in the Gulf of Guinea, has long placed fish at the core of its food culture and economy. The country is committed to building a sustainable and equitable Blue Economy that supports the livelihoods of over 750,000 people engaged in fishing, trading, and processing aquatic resources. These efforts are crucial in providing half of Benin's 15 million population with their daily source of protein, ensuring food security, nutrition, and health for its citizens. This was underscored by the Honorable Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, Gaston Cossi Dossouhoui, during a meeting with TMT Executive Director Gareth Johnstone PhD and Fisheries Committee for the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCWC/CPCO) Secretary General Dr. Gaston Djhinto last week. The lively discussion explored various fishery management measures that will be tabled at the upcoming FCWC Conference of Ministers in Monrovia, Liberia this December. Ministers from the six member states – Benin, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria, Côte d'Ivoire, and Liberia – will come together to agree on FCWC’s priority actions for 2025. One of the key items is a potential Call to Action for a closed fishing season across the region, alongside a Declaration of Monrovia that will include, among other measures, support for a Regional Record of Authorized Fishing Vessels. Whatever decisions are made, the FCWC, with funding from Norad - Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation, will continue its work to strengthen ocean governance and enhance member states’ control over their valuable fishery resources. #BlueEconomy #Fisheries #Sustainability #Benin #WestAfrica #FCWC #FishingForTheFuture #OceanGovernance #RegionalCooperation

🐟 The African Continental Free Trade Area #AfCFTA is a game-changer for Africa's fishery industry. Thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to co-author this blog with my colleagues at UNDP Africa, Komi Tsowou and Usman I.. We dive into how the AfCFTA can turn the tide 🌊 for Africa's fisheries, boosting local production, job creation, and food security. Many thanks to Komla Prosper Bissi, lovin kobusingye, Ayda Labassi for the inputs. Read the blog 👇🏽 #RegionalValueChains #AfricanEconomy #OceanEconomy #BlueEconomy #SDG14

Making a splash in this month’s Fish Farmer Magazine 💦🐟 It’s great to see industry press covering the issues surrounding fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO) production in West Africa and including Feedback research from our Blue Empire report. Delighted to be quoted, alongside Hazel Healy, (DeSmog) and Dr Aliou BA, (Greenpeace Africa). The current situation surrounding this industry is completely absurd. Vast quantities of wild fish from West Africa are being plundered to feed farmed fish in the Global North. This has serious ramifications for the entire region.   In response to the many issues faced by communities in West Africa, the industry continually points to their participation in the Mauritanian Fisheries Improvement Project (FIP). ❌This is simply not enough. Despite the existence of this initiative fish populations are drastically declining, food insecurity is rising and people are losing their livelihoods. 👀Read more here : https://lnkd.in/dZDfaFkG #foodjustice #foodinsecurity #aquaculture #FMFO #fishfarmermagazine #westafrica

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) announced funding totalling $1.52 million, under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, for 26 projects aimed at revitalizing traditional food systems, increasing food security, training and resource development, and expanding Indigenous participation in Manitoba’s growing agriculture and agri-food sectors. As one example of the projects, Long Plain First Nation’s Community Wellness’s Hunting and Gathering, Foraging and Processing project will enhance current community food systems through the development of new food harvesting and preservation processes to ensure that food is properly preserved and available for consumption throughout the year. #AAFCFunding #CanadianAgriPartnership #TraditionalFoodSystems #FoodSecurity #IndigenousParticipation #ManitobaAgriculture #CommunityWellness #FoodHarvesting #FoodPreservation #SustainableFood

#PIDE Knowledge Brief on "Towards Sustainable Range Resource Management In Pakistan" By Shujaat Farooq, Durr-e-Nayab, Saddam Hussein, Nabila Kunwal #PIDE Rangelands cover a whopping 57% of Pakistan's land area, playing a vital role in sustaining livestock and providing various goods and services to society. With the growing human population, it's important to manage these resources sustainably to support livelihoods and preserve native plant communities. Learn more about the importance of rangelands and their management in our latest brief: https://lnkd.in/eqDgPDMC

A comprehensive report by DeSmog reveals that initiatives for "responsible sourcing" in the global aquafeed industry are being compromised by systemic conflicts of interest, jeopardising efforts to protect critical fish stocks in West Africa. Challenges identified include: 🐟 A lack of representation from West African civil society, women fish processors, and artisanal fishers on industry-led fisheries sustainability initiatives. 🐟 Employees in leadership roles also hold seats on the certification programme’s governance structures. 🐟 Some participating NGOs receive significant funding from corporations. 🐟 At least three trade groups and companies involved in the initiatives have a history of lobbying against environmental regulations. Learn more in this report by Brigitte Wear, Hazel Healy, and Michaela Herrmann at https://lnkd.in/gk5iqSjP. #FisheryProtection #Fisheries #FishFarming #Aquaculture #FishStocks #WestAfrica

🌟 What do cashews and fishing nets have in common? They are part of Guinea-Bissau’s journey to unlock its trade potential with support from the EIF and partners!     Read our #EIFImpactStory to discover how #GuineaBissau is strengthening key sectors, empowering communities and laying the groundwork for sustainable development 🌱    ✅ Women-led artisanal fisheries are thriving with improved tools, training and locally managed infrastructure like ice-making plants.  ✅ Cashew farmers are earning more thanks to better value chain management and fairer pricing strategies.  ✅ Updated trade frameworks and strengthened institutions are creating a stronger foundation for growth.    Click here for the full impact story: https://bit.ly/4gx1yMs    UNIDO Lassana Fati Paulin ZAMBELONGO

This infographic published in the FAO 'The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024' is a key concept to understand in global seafood markets. In a couple of decades, China has gone from becoming a significant exporter of seafood products to a sizeable net importer. It should not be forgotten either, that Japan's importance as a seafood importing region has been decreasing