Investing in Aquaculture for Food Security

Food security clearly is more than just food production, nutrition, or food aid. Alleviating hunger, a severe manifestation of poverty, depends in the long run on sustainable and broad-based economic growth and income generation. In many poor countries, these depend on a productive, competitive, and sustainable agricultural sector. To achieve these conditions, countries must invest in rural areas to strengthen agriculture, aquaculture, the food system, and infrastructure, and to restore and conserve critical natural resources for agricultural production. This requires both public and private investment - domestic and foreign.

However, this is not enough. All sectors of civil society must work together if we are to succeed in our objective to achieve food for all. Investing in agriculture and aquaculture for food security means that grassroots and local efforts together with government, the private sector, multilateral and bilateral efforts at national level should all be focused on a common vision and agenda for food security. Food security is defined as: all people, at all times, having the physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food in order to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (World Food Summit Plan of Action 1996)

Aquaculture can contribute to improved food security and nutrition through various channels: local food supplies can be improved through the increased availability of low-cost fish; employment opportunities and incomes can be raised; and consumption of fish can be increased directly. Read more..

Investment In Agriculture..