Fisheries and Aquaculture: insights from recent FAO evaluations

Fisheries and aquaculture continue to demonstrate their critical role in addressing global food security and poverty alleviation. According to the 2024 State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA), total global production reached a record of 223.2 million tonnes in 2022, with a significant contribution from both marine and inland aquaculture. This remarkable growth underscores the need for sustainable management practices to maximize benefits while minimizing environmental impacts. FAO’s Blue Transformation initiative is central to this effort, aligning fisheries development with the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

What have we learnt from recent FAO evaluations?

⦿ The terminal evaluation of the project "Building climate change resilience in the fisheries sector in Malawi" focused on Lake Malombe’s vulnerable fishing communities. It found that while the project was well-aligned with national policies and effectively raised awareness of climate resilience, challenges related to institutional ownership, sustainability, and project coordination. The project was deemed satisfactory in relevance as it addressed national priorities and community needs through co-management and climate adaptation measures. Coherence with prior FAO and international projects was strong, though further integration with related initiatives could have strengthened outcomes. Effectiveness was moderate, with significant technical and financial support provided, but limited transformation in sustainable livelihoods and adoption of climate proof practices. Key recommendations included streamline procedures and address bottlenecks, encourage stronger local governance mechanisms for continuity, and consider supporting more business aligned interventions that reflect the communities’ needs.

⦿ The Terminal evaluation of the project "Enabling transboundary cooperation for sustainable management of the Indonesian Seas" focused on Indonesia and Timor-Leste. It found that the project aimed to strengthen capacities and institutional frameworks on ecosystem approaches to fisheries and aquaculture, as well as regional and subregional cooperation for sustainable marine resources management. The project’s consultative approach ensured that a wide range of stakeholders at various levels were engaged in both countries. Monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) capacity were strenghtened to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU) through stocktaking and the subsequent development of a strategic plan. Environmental sustainability was fundamental to the project. Key recommendations touched on 1) use good practices from the project to convene stakeholders to work on the critical next steps for SAP and 2) identify the viable resource options and to promote SAP to mobilize funding.

⦿ The evaluation of the project "Enhancing Livelihoods and Food Security though Fisheries with Nearshore Fish Aggregating Devices in the Pacific Ocean" focused on five countries  covered by the project: Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. It found that the project approach was relevant to the governments and to FAO. The project team’s concerted efforts enabled flexible implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic. However the delayed deployment of nearshore fish-aggregating devices (nFADs) caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of baseline data made it impossible to conduct a quantitative assessment. This included the development of human capital by enhancing specific technical skills and broad-based business literacy. The capacity-building activities included income-generation activities for women. The project was not explicit about the environmental impacts of nFADs, partly because of a lack of baseline data. The lack of a well-defined exit strategy required the governments to formulate a plan to continue project activities. The evaluation recommended developing an integrated nFAD database and institutionalizing the use of nFAD to ensure sustainability.

Explore these and other related evaluations