Nudging fisheries and aquaculture research towards food systems

Food system is a powerful concept for understanding and responding to nutrition and sustainability challenges. Food systems integrate social, economic, environmental and health aspects of food production through to consumption. Aquatic foods are an essential part of food systems providing an accessible source of nutrition for millions of people. Yet, it is unclear to what degree research across diverse disciplines concerning aquatic foods has engaged food systems, and the value this concept has added. We conducted a systematic review of fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic food literature (2017–2019) to determine the following: the characteristics of this research; the food systems components and interrelations with which research engaged; and the insights generated on nutrition, justice, sustainability and climate change. Sixty five of the 88 reviewed articles focussed on production and supply chains, with 23 considering human nutrition. Only 13% of studies examined low- and middle-income countries that are most vulnerable to undernutrition. One third of articles looked beyond finfish to other aquatic foods, which illuminated values of local knowledge systems and diverse foods for nutrition. When aggregated, reviewed articles examined the full range of food system drivers—biophysical and environmental (34%), demographic (24%) and socio-cultural (27%)—but rarely examined interactions between drivers. Future research that examines a diversity of species in diets, system-wide flows of nutrients, trade-offs amongst objectives, and the nutritional needs of vulnerable social groups would be nudging closer to the ambitions of the food systems concept, which is necessary to address the global challenges of equity, nutrition and sustainability

The role of small-scale inland capture fisheries for food security in Lake Chilwa

Inland capture fisheries are an important source of food, nutrition, employment and income for millions of people globally, but primarily in developing countries. In Africa, where inland fisheries constitute the major supply of fish in some countries, there are regional variations in production. For example, East Africa has the highest production levels of fish, yet some countries, such as Malawi, experience one of the lowest per capita fish production level. Fish contributes to food security and nutrition through two main pathways. Fish can act as a cash crop generating income, which can increase purchasing power for other food items. In addition, fish directly consumed can improve food and nutritional security. Understanding the role and value of small-scale capture fisheries to livelihood and food security is a key challenge in conserving fisheries resources and livelihoods. This is particularly true for small-scale inland capture fisheries, which are one of the most under-reported and under-valued fisheries sectors. Evidence highlights the lack of understanding of the pathways by which fisheries contribute to food security, particularly by men and women along the value chain. In addition, the effects of climate change on local food security is poorly understood. Shallow lakes, such as Lake Chilwa in Malawi, have been shown to be sensitive to climate change where experiences of water level fluctuation are common. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the contribution of small-scale capture fisheries to food security, using the case study of Lake Chilwa, Malawi. To investigate the temporal stability of fish availability and the contributions of fisher livelihoods to income and food, the thesis employs the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and the four pillars of food security. The study finds evidence that Lake Chilwa’s fishery is influenced by the environment. Fish producing households consumed more fish and more diverse and nutritious diets, and had higher overall levels of food security compared to non-fishing households, which was achieved through direct and indirect pathways. The study contributes to the call for local level assessments of the impact of climate variability on inland small-scale fisheries and their value to food and nutritional security in rural communities. The findings are important for promoting effective fisheries management, climate adaptation and poverty alleviation development

In the frame: modifying Photovoice for improving understanding of gender in fisheries and aquaculture

Understanding the role and value of small-scale fisheries to livelihoods and food security is a key challenge in conserving fishery resources. This is particularly true for small-scale inland fisheries, one of the most underreported and undervalued fisheries sectors that also increasingly faces environmental and societal change. Gender plays a central role in the different ways in which inland fisheries contribute to food and nutritional security in developing countries. The role of women in inland fisheries is significant, with millions of women contributing to dynamic capture fisheries and aquaculture supply chains. The role of women in inland fisheries, however, is less visible than the role of men and is often overlooked in policymaking processes. The need for participatory community-based approaches has been widely recognized in natural resource management literature as a means to capture people’s perspectives and empower marginalized groups. The Photovoice method is increasingly used as a participatory tool in health, social, and environmental research, but has had little adoption in inland fisheries research to date. The aims of this paper are (1) to review and evaluate the effectiveness of an emerging participatory method, Photovoice; and (2) to present a modified Photovoice method, applicable to the context of small-scale fisheries, to advance understanding of gender and socioecological dimensions. We outline the strengths and limitations of the method and highlight that it can be used as a tool for triangulation of mixed research methods or independently. We argue that Photovoice, as a participatory tool in fisheries research, has the potential to provide rich, qualitative, context-specific, untapped sources of knowledge to advance fisheries research and management. The use of Photovoice in the context of small-scale inland fisheries and aquaculture research is a timely endeavor given heightened interest to obtain insights into the previously overlooked aspects of gender and the need for more policy relevant information

A photovoice assessment for illuminating the role of inland fisheries to livelihoods and the local challenges experienced through the lens of fishers in a climate-driven lake of Malawi

Small-scale inland capture fisheries provide an important source of nutritious food, employment and income to millions of people in developing countries, particularly in rural environments where limited alternatives exist. However, the sector is one of most under-valued fisheries sectors and is increasingly experiencing environmental change. This study adopts a Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and investigates how important a fluctuating inland fishery is to livelihoods, and how local perceptions on challenges corresponds to global evidence. Through an innovative participatory method; photovoice, the lived experiences and perceptions of fishers are depicted. The findings illuminate the valuable role of the sector to food and nutrition security and the complex nexus with vulnerability to climate change. The study responds to the call for more local level assessments of the impacts of climate change on inland fisheries in data-limited environments, and the value of the sector in underpinning the Sustainable Development Goals.publishedVersio

A photovoice assessment for illuminating the role of inland fisheries to livelihoods and the local challenges experienced through the lens of fishers in a climate-driven lake of Malawi

Small-scale inland capture fisheries provide an important source of nutritious food, employment and income to millions of people in developing countries, particularly in rural environments where limited alternatives exist. However, the sector is one of most under-valued fisheries sectors and is increasingly experiencing environmental change. This study adopts a Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and investigates how important a fluctuating inland fishery is to livelihoods, and how local perceptions on challenges corresponds to global evidence. Through an innovative participatory method; photovoice, the lived experiences and perceptions of fishers are depicted. The findings illuminate the valuable role of the sector to food and nutrition security and the complex nexus with vulnerability to climate change. The study responds to the call for more local level assessments of the impacts of climate change on inland fisheries in data-limited environments, and the value of the sector in underpinning the Sustainable Development Goals

A photovoice assessment for illuminating the role of inland fisheries to livelihoods and the local challenges experienced through the lens of fishers in a climate-driven lake of Malawi

Small-scale inland capture fisheries provide an important source of nutritious food, employment and income to millions of people in developing countries, particularly in rural environments where limited alternatives exist. However, the sector is one of most under-valued fisheries sectors and is increasingly experiencing environmental change. This study adopts a Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and investigates how important a fluctuating inland fishery is to livelihoods, and how local perceptions on challenges corresponds to global evidence. Through an innovative participatory method; photovoice, the lived experiences and perceptions of fishers are depicted. The findings illuminate the valuable role of the sector to food and nutrition security and the complex nexus with vulnerability to climate change. The study responds to the call for more local level assessments of the impacts of climate change on inland fisheries in data-limited environments, and the value of the sector in underpinning the Sustainable Development Goals

Small pelagic fish supply abundant and affordable micronutrients to low- and middle-income countries

Wild-caught fish provide an irreplaceable source of essential nutrients in food-insecure places. Fishers catch thousands of species, yet the diversity of aquatic foods is often categorized homogeneously as ‘fish’, obscuring an understanding of which species supply affordable, nutritious and abundant food. Here, we use catch, economic and nutrient data on 2,348 species to identify the most affordable and nutritious fish in 39 low- and middle-income countries. We find that a 100 g portion of fish cost between 10 and 30% of the cheapest daily diet, with small pelagic fish (herring, sardine, anchovy) being the cheapest nutritious fish in 72% of countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, where nutrient deficiencies are rising, <20% of small pelagic catch would meet recommended dietary fish intakes for all children (6 months to 4 years old) living near to water bodies. Nutrition-sensitive policies that ensure local supplies and promote consumption of wild-caught fish could help address nutrient deficiencies in vulnerable populations

The contributions of small-scale fisheries to sustainable development

The infographic provides a snapshot of findings from the Illuminating Hidden Harvests report. The findings from the report, led by FAO, Duke University, and WorldFish, highlight the environmental, economic, nutritional, gender, and governance dimensions of small-scale fisheries globally

Proximity to small-scale inland and coastal fisheries is associated with improved income and food security

Poverty and food insecurity persist in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted a secondary analysis of nationally representative data from three sub-Saharan Africa countries (Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda) to investigate how both proximity to and engagement with small-scale fisheries are associated with household poverty and food insecurity. Results from the analysis suggest that households engaged in small-scale fisheries were 9 percentage points less likely to be poor than households engaged only in agriculture. Households living in proximity to small-scale fisheries (average distance 2.7 km) were 12.6 percentage points more likely to achieve adequate food security and were 15 percentage points less likely to be income poor, compared to the most distant households. Households distant from fishing grounds (>5 km) were 1.5 times more likely to consume dried fish compared to households living close. Conserving the flow of benefits from small-scale fisheries is important for meeting the Sustainable Development Goals in the region.publishedVersio

Small pelagic fish supply abundant and affordable micronutrients to low- and middle-income countries

Wild-caught fish provide an irreplaceable source of essential nutrients in food-insecure places. Fishers catch thousands of species, yet the diversity of aquatic foods is often categorized homogeneously as ‘fish’, obscuring an understanding of which species supply affordable, nutritious and abundant food. Here, we use catch, economic and nutrient data on 2,348 species to identify the most affordable and nutritious fish in 39 low- and middle-income countries. We find that a 100 g portion of fish cost between 10 and 30% of the cheapest daily diet, with small pelagic fish (herring, sardine, anchovy) being the cheapest nutritious fish in 72% of countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, where nutrient deficiencies are rising