FAO and Michigan State University Mark a Decade of Innovation in Inland Fisheries and Wild Foods: Driving policy, research, and capacity building to strengthen food security and ecosystem resilience

Rome, Italy – Since its establishment in 2015, the partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Michigan State University (MSU) has become a global leader in advancing sustainable inland fisheries and wild food systems. Over the past decade, this collaboration has delivered transformative results across policy development, research, capacity building, and regional engagement—positioning inland fisheries as a cornerstone of food security, nutrition, and ecosystem health.

With mutual goals established in partnership, FAO and MSU continue to enhance and recognize the unique benefits of aquatic foods for food and nutrition security, livelihoods, trade, and as the source of the social values that gel many societies together. Blue Transformation is needed to acknowledge successes while facing head on the sector’s sustainability challenges.

Looking ahead, FAO and MSU will scale up solutions that integrate inland fisheries with forest, water, and energy systems, strengthen capacity for policymakers and small-scale fishers, and enhance regional networks across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. By combining science, policy, and community engagement, this partnership will continue to deliver innovative, inclusive solutions that build resilient food systems worldwide.

Learn more about this partnership here.