Oysters being cleaned at the Tetelestai mariculture sorting facility in Walvis Bay (Photo: ©FAO/Edward Ogolla)

15 December 2016, Harare - Fisheries and aquaculture are of critical importance to the economic development and food security of the Southern African Development Community, with large portions of the populations undernourished and dependent on both freshwater and marine fishing for their livelihoods. In a bid to support the development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the region, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with World Fish and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), hosted an aquaculture science-expert workshop, which drew fisheries and aquaculture scientists from across the SADC region.

The main thrust of the expert workshop (1-2 December) was to initiate plans to align SADC Universities’ teaching programmes and research in aquaculture with the SADC Aquaculture Strategy in order to more effectively support of the SADC Secretariat’s fisheries and aquaculture programs for the region. Aquaculture development potential in the SADC region remains largely untapped, in contrast to other regions with equivalent resources such as West Africa, thus, creating a need for strengthening applied research capacity, practical skills and expertise in aquaculture within the region.

Speaking at the workshop, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa, David Phiri, reiterated the importance of the aquaculture and fisheries sectors in securing employment, securing livelihoods and ensuring food security. “Aquaculture and fisheries generate employment and ensure food security and good nutrition to often vulnerable communities; contributing to the food security and nutrition of approximately 200 million Africans”, he said. Phiri also re-affirmed FAO’s support to the sustainable development of fisheries in line with the organization’s mandate to eradicate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.

Way forward

FAO has been actively supporting aquaculture development in the sub-region. In support of the SADC Aquaculture Strategy, the FAO Subregional Office for Southern Africa is developing a Technical Cooperation Program (TCP) that will assist the SADC Secretariat in the implementation of its Protocol on Fisheries. This project will contribute to enhanced food security, income generation capacity and sustained livelihoods along the fisheries value chains in SADC. SADC Member-countries and their partners are expected make explicit political commitments in the form of policies, investment plans, programmes, legal frameworks and the allocation of necessary resources to eradicate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.

The expert workshop was successful in building on an already existing initiative in Zimbabwe on a mechanism for an "Aquaculture Scientific Mentorship Scheme" for students and young scientists in the SADC region to develop as professionals equipped with the skill sets required in the industry. The meeting also resolved to build and enhance partnership opportunities amongst tertiary and research institutions, and private and public sector through regional and continental platforms and through existing national and regional partnerships.

University Representatives who were present also expressed their willingness to influence policy-making processes by involving policy makers and other stakeholders in science fora. The holistic planning and guidance tools for aquaculture which were introduced in the workshop by resource organizations, which were present, could play an important role and be used as tools in development and implementation of National Aquaculture plans and strategies.