The Blue Growth Initiative (BGI) encompasses global programmatic efforts and structured actions around the logic of FAO's new strategic framework. Its central objective is to achieve food security and nutrition, poverty alleviation and economic growth through the sustainable use of living aquatic resources and the conservation of biological resources and marine, coastal and continental ecosystems.

This initiative is aimed at reconciling economic growth with improved livelihoods and social equity, and strengthening transparent, reliable and more secure food systems. Blue Growth also places greater responsibility on national and regional policies for protecting living aquatic resources.

The initiative was created in 2013 and has four main pillars:

1. Sustainable management of fisheries resources and combating illegal, unreported and illegal fishing (IUU fishing)
2. Sustainable development of aquaculture production through an ecosystem approach to aquaculture (EAA)
3. Responsible and sustainable use of economic opportunities and ecosystem services derived from aquatic natural resources
4. Promotion of fair and inclusive trade and markets with social support

A high-level regional meeting

In the context of macroeconomic volatility and recurring environmental pressures, the BGI provides a unique framework to harness cooperation to strengthen food and nutritional security in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Having a high-level regional forum is an ideal platform to identify common goals and establish political commitments around responsible and sustainable approaches that reconcile economic growth and food security together with the conservation of aquatic resources.