Page 31 - FAO Aquaculture News, May 2021 - No. 63

a transformational force, as African economies recognize innovation are needed, as well as the adoption of enabling
Special Section | Aquaculture Reviews
the critical need to diversify beyond land-based activities. policies and a regulatory framework to promote sustainable
Special programmes, including addressing participation of intensification and innovative value chains.
women and youth, continental networking institutions
to foster aquaculture and the implementation of the Political will and stakeholders’ awareness and willingness
Blue Economy Agenda, are also needed. Sloans Chimatiro, to be active participants are key for the development of
President, Pan-African Policy Research Network for the continent, in particular in the agricultural sector. A
Fisheries and Aquaculture, called for holistic approaches, non-negotiable element in aquaculture development,
specifically for national food security and nutrition policies at national or regional level, is the participation of all
to better take into account the role of aquaculture. He also stakeholders, including youth and women, throughout
highlighted the “need to address land tenure issues that on the decision-making processes, development plan and its
top of lack of financing, proper training and education for implementation. Professor Stella William, of the Nigerian
adoption of technologies and innovation, further causing Women in Agricultural Research for Development, issued
difficulty for youth entry in the sector, trade and marketing a passionate statement on this matter and called upon
issues, applicable policies based on the ground reality”. “women and youth to network with other peers within and
outside the continent, to make aquaculture a science-based
Professor Michene Ntiba, Principal Secretary, State profession and enterprise”. Research supported by the
Department for Fisheries, Aquaculture and the Blue public and private sector is also needed to boost the sector.
Economy, of Kenya, recalled the intertwined objectives
of the SDGs with the Blue Economy paradigm and how Blessing Mapfumo, the lead author of the regional review
aquaculture fits in with the various objectives to achieve and Executive Officer African Chapter of the World
better production, a more sustainable aquatic environment Aquaculture Society, and FAO co-authors Ana Menezes
and better conserved terrestrial ecosystems. The sector and Pierre Murekezi agreed with the panel members on the
plays a big role in the Blue Economy regarding its power to various weaknesses, challenges, strengths and opportunities.
provide African citizens with better nutrition and better life, They recalled that such issues and benefits have also been
even in remote areas. Its role in mitigating and reducing emphasized in national, regional and international forums,
disaster risk and building resilience must be highlighted especially during the Committee on Fisheries, the COFI
and mainstreamed in aquaculture and fisheries Sub-Committee on Aquaculture, the Committee for Inland
development strategies. Fisheries and Aquaculture of Africa and the Aquaculture
Network for Africa, among others.
For aquaculture to realize its full potential, the SSA region
also needs to address a combination of overarching ”Africa aquaculture needs business and development
factors limiting its development so far, such as ineffective modules, including sustainable intensification, adequate
development approaches, weak governance frameworks, frameworks and innovative value chains that are tailored to
underdeveloped value chains, low availability and high national realities rather than adopted from other regions”.
cost of key production inputs, aquatic disease and climate Haile Gabriel Abebe (Assistant Director-General/Regional
change. Many successful aquaculture business stories Representative, FAO Regional Office for Africa).
throughout have begun to indicate the way forward, but
previous constraints are now compounded by the impacts
of the COVID-19 pandemic. Haile Gabriel Abebe thus REFERENCES
emphasized the need of consultative and urgent actions A video recording of the webinar can be found here:
to reverse this negative trend. Science, technology and www.aquaculture2020.org/reviews

©FAO/T. Mutesi (photo taken before COVID-19 pandemic)

Aquaculture farmer at Mulindi, Kigali, Rwanda with a tilapia incubator.

30 FAO AQUACULTURE NEWS – Nº. 63 ■ MAY 2021