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Programme on sustainable aquaculture practices - for young women from the Mediterranean and the Black Sea
Following the success of its first activity for young women in aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, held in 2022 in Tunisia, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is organizing a second edition in Greece on 11–18 June 2023.
This activity is the direct result of a collaboration between the GFCM, the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) and the Hellenic Aquaculture Producers Organization (HAPO).
Aquaculture plays an essential role in economic development and food security in the Mediterranean and Black Sea region and the success of the sector is greatly supported by women. They hold crucial roles in all areas of the sector from rearing fish on farms to conducting research in labs. Unfortunately, despite the importance of women to the sector, their contributions can often go unrecognized and they can face limited opportunities for education and advancement.
Through its 2030 Strategy for sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, as well as its Resolution GFCM/45/2022/1 on empowering women in the aquaculture sector, the GFCM envisions a fair and inclusive sector in which women are fully supported. As such, the activity will bring together young women from the region to learn about the latest developments in aquaculture and get hands-on exposure to some of the best aquaculture practices in Greece.
The activity will consist of a series of theoretical sessions held by aquaculture experts from the region to build a foundation of best practices, highlight the importance of the involvement of women in the sector, share success stories, and showcase the GFCM approach for the sustainable development of aquaculture; and field visits in Greece to highlight Mediterranean aquaculture and different environments, species and production systems.
REGISTRATION
To register for the programme, please visit this page.
Registration closes on 10 May 2023.
Participants should meet the following criteria:
- under 40 years of age;
- basic knowledge on aquaculture (production, research, administration, civil society, etc.);
- and ability to swim.
The GFCM will select the participants for the training. Once registered, candidates could be also considered for other future GFCM trainings or other opportunities for women in aquaculture.
Contact:
Did you know?
Significant growth in aquaculture has driven global fisheries and aquaculture production to a record high as aquatic foods make an increasingly critical contribution to food security and nutrition in the twenty-first century.
FAO’s 2022 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) says the growth of aquaculture, particularly in Asia, lifted total production of fisheries and aquaculture to an all-time high of 214 million tonnes in 2020, comprising 178 million tonnes of aquatic animals and 36 million tonnes of algae.
Production of aquatic animals in 2020 was 30 percent higher than the average in the 2000s and more than 60 percent above the average in the 1990s. Record aquaculture output of 87.5 million tonnes of aquatic animals largely drove these outcomes.
As the sector continues to expand, FAO says more targeted transformative changes are needed to achieve a more sustainable, inclusive and equitable fisheries and aquaculture sector. A Blue Transformation in how we produce, manage, trade and consume aquatic foods, is crucial if we are to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals,