The European Union (EU) has launched an international initiative to better understand the role of aquaculture in food security in developing countries.
The EU is providing €1m to fund a three year project – Aquaculture for Food Security, Poverty Alleviation and Nutrition (AFSPAN) – which will be managed by the FAO in partnership with a global alliance of 20 development agencies, governments and universities. The project will create new ways to measure the contribution of aquaculture to low-income food-deficit countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America with improved tools and more systematic and quantitive assessments.
Rohana Subasinghe, senior FAO expert on aquaculture and coordinator of the project, said: “The project will work closely with fish farming communities and will focus on field research in many major aquaculture countries in the developing world. It will develop tools and methodologies to help key partners to develop policies geared to improving aquaculture's contribution to food and nutrition security.”
Since fish is the primary source of protein for nearly 25% of low-income food-deficit countries, it is vital sustainable policies are developed for improving the livelihoods of millions of poor people. With populations growing, it is important that aquaculture expands to meet the future demand for fish.
