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As part of RAP’s efforts to raise visibility to a wider audience of the good work its specialists undertake for member countries in the region, this two-page brochure summarizes our priority areas of work and explains the value they add to our member countries in the region. This regional sectoral snapshot (fisheries and aquaculture) is a first of its kind in at least the last five years.

The 2018 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture emphasizes the sector’s role in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, and measurement of progress towards these goals. It notes the particular contributions of inland and small-scale fisheries, and highlights the importance of rights-based governance for equitable and inclusive development. As in past editions, the publication begins with a global analysis of trends in fisheries and aquaculture production, stocks, processing and use, trade and consumption, based on the latest official statistics, along with a review of the status of the world’s fishing fleets and [...]

The FAO Blue Growth Initiative (BGI) can contribute to resilient communities to maintain and preserve cultural heritage through sustainable fisheries and aquaculture management for Indigenous Peoples. The Blue Growth Initiative seeks to balance the sustainable management of aquatic resources with economic and social benefits for local communities through traditional knowledge and practices, capacity development and knowledge sharing, food security and nutritional benefits, and an increased voice in resource management and policymaking. Blue Growth will support Indigenous Peoples in achieving the 2030 Agenda across multiple SDGs and targets. This infographic will highlight targetted regional facts on Indigenous management and benefits derived [...]

Fisheries and aquaculture support the livelihoods of millions of people around the world. In rural and coastal communities they often play a key role for a society’s culture and identity. As these communities know well, fish is also a healthy and nutritious food, with the potential to feed our growing planet. But as the population grows, the demand for fish increases, and our natural resources are increasingly stressed. Sustainable management and development is crucial to preserving these resources for future generations.  Like the Green Economy principles that preceded it, FAO’s Blue Growth Initiative emphasizes the three pillars of sustainable development – [...]

Natural disasters have cost billions of dollars in lost agricultural production. The human food chain is under continuous threat from an alarming increase in the number of outbreaks of transboundary animal and plant pests and diseases. Conflict and protracted crises are putting more and more people in conditions of poverty, food insecurity and displacement. This has become the "new normal" and the impact of climate change will further exacerbate these threats and challenges.  Agriculture often bears a disproportionate share of disaster impacts, many of which are borne directly by smallholders. As resources become increasingly scarce, objective evidence is needed to effectively [...]

The UN and the Somali Government launched the Programme on Youth Employment in 2015, with the objective of creating employment opportunities for youth between 16 and 35 years through vocational education, enterprise training, and the rehabilitation of infrastructure in high potential sectors of the economy. Alongside this initiative, FAO is working with the Ministry of Fisheries at Federal and State levels to implement the 5.3 million Euro project No piracy: Alternatives for youth living in coastal communities of Puntland, Galmudug and Mogadishu, also known as Coastal Communities Against Piracy (CCAP) Project. As the name suggests, the EU-funded project, launched in [...]

This sourcebook provides an overview of the second, digital edition of the Climate-Smart Agriculture Sourcebook. The new edition includes new findings, case studies and lessons learned. It also takes into account the changes in the landscape of international climate action since the original edition was published in 2013. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – which encompasses the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda – provides an international framework for strong national actions and collective efforts to achieve sustainable development. Climate-smart agriculture, as an approach to achieve sustainable food and agriculture, [...]

Empowering small-scale fisheries: the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication. Short animated video that wants to trigger awareness and discussion about key challenges faced by small-scale fishing communities, despite their critical contribution to nutrition, food security, national economies and poverty alleviation. It introduces ways to address those challenges, as well as the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) as an important tool in this context. It is suggested to use this video to have discussions with various stakeholders on [...]

This document summarizes the online consultation Mainstreaming biodiversity in agriculture, fisheries and forestry for improved food security and better nutrition held on the FAO Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum) from 7 May to 1 June 2018. The online consultation aimed at gathering experiences and examples from practitioners to define further the objectives and partnerships of the FAO Biodiversity Mainstreaming Platform and to advance the development of its work programme. Technical facilitation was provided by the following FAO staff: Irene Hoffmann, Secretary of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and Paulo Augusto Lourenço Dias Nunes, Natural Resources Officer in the Climate, [...]

The Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security, known as the VGGT, promote secure tenure rights and equitable access to land, fisheries and forests. Their overarching goals are to achieve food security for all, and support the progressive realization of the right to adequate food. Liberia, Mongolia and Sierra Leone are among the first countries to make significant progress in implementing the VGGT. Maintain ing government commitment and the general momentum around the VGGT is key to ensuring their internalization, and related processes in national programmes. Find more Project [...]