| | | | | source of nutrients particularly for those whose |
| . . | | | | diets are monotonous and lacking in animal |
| Food security clearly is more than just food | | | | products. Increasing the availability of fish in the |
| production, nutrition, or food aid. Alleviating hunger, | | | | diet increases palatability and leads to increased |
| a severe manifestation of poverty, depends in | | | | consumption of a range of foods thereby |
| the long run on sustainable and broad-based | | | | improving overall food and nutrient intakes. |
| economic growth and income generation. In many | | | | As mentioned, fish are important sources |
| poor countries, these depend on a productive, | | | | for many nutrients, including protein of very high |
| competitive, and sustainable agricultural sector. To | | | | quality, retinol (Vitamin A), vitamin D, vitamin E, |
| achieve these conditions, countries must invest in | | | | iodine and selenium. Evidence is increasing that the |
| rural areas to strengthen agriculture, aquaculture, | | | | consumption of fish enhances brain development |
| the food system, and infrastructure, and to | | | | and learning in children, protects vision and eye |
| restore and conserve critical natural resources for | | | | health, and offers protection from cardiovascular |
| agricultural production. This requires both public and | | | | disease and some cancers. The fats and fatty |
| private investment -- domestic and foreign. | | | | acids in fish, particularly the long chain n-3 fatty |
| However, this is not enough. All sectors of civil | | | | acids (n-3 PUFA), are highly beneficial and difficult |
| society must work together if we are to succeed | | | | to obtain from other food sources. Of particular |
| in our objective to achieve food for all. Investing | | | | importance are eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, |
| in agriculture and aquaculture for food security | | | | EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA). A |
| means that grassroots and local efforts together | | | | review of the benefits of fish consumption for |
| with government, the private sector, multilateral | | | | mothers and infants was published by FAO in |
| and bilateral efforts at national level should all be | | | | 2000. . |
| focused on a common vision and agenda for food | | | | . Economic feasibility studies have |
| security . Food security is defined as: “…all | | | | shown that aquaculture is economically feasible |
| people, at all times, having the physical, social and | | | | under many different circumstances. Many types |
| economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious | | | | of low-cost, low-risk, simple technologies have |
| food in order to meet their dietary needs and | | | | emerged in recent years. Comparative studies |
| food preferences for an active and healthy | | | | between rice, rice-fish and fish-farming systems in |
| life” (World Food Summit Plan of Action 1996) | | | | sub-Saharan Africa demonstrated that farmers |
| . Aquaculture can contribute to improved food | | | | investing in aquaculture increased their household |
| security and nutrition through various channels: | | | | incomes considerably with only minor investments. |
| local food supplies can be improved through the | | | | In Europe, USA, China and other Asian countries |
| increased availability of low-cost fish; employment | | | | the increases in production and the number of |
| opportunities and incomes can be raised; and | | | | people active in aquaculture over the last decade |
| consumption of fish can be increased directly. | | | | have shown that production systems ranging |
| While increasing the quantity and variety of fish | | | | from extensive to highly intensive can be |
| and other foods consumed by the poor will | | | | economically feasible.most of the world’s |
| reduce under-nutrition, such dietary improvements | | | | farmers are small-scale farmers. As a group, they |
| are not automatic benefits of aquaculture | | | | are the biggest investors in agriculture and |
| development. Food consumption and good | | | | aquaculture. They also tend to have inadequate or |
| nutrition are not determined solely by how much | | | | precarious access to food themselves. If they |
| food is produced or available. Households must | | | | can make a profit with their farming, they can |
| have physical and economic access to an | | | | feed their families throughout the year and |
| adequate amount and variety of food, and | | | | reinvest in their farms by purchasing fertilizer, |
| household heads and care-givers must have the | | | | better quality seed and basic equipment. |
| time, knowledge and motivation to make the best | | | | Small producers face many obstacles beyond |
| use of the household’s resources to meet | | | | their control: lack of credit, insecure land tenure, |
| the food and other basic needs of all members. | | | | poor transport, low prices and poorly developed |
| The key to securing the maximum nutritional | | | | business relations with agribusinesses – to say |
| benefits from aquaculture development is to | | | | nothing of natural factors such as drought, flood, |
| ensure that the poor and undernourished gain | | | | pests and disease. |
| greater access to the increased supplies of fish | | | | Food production and sufficient supply for the |
| and that they can enhance their | | | | country has, on the whole, been secured in spite |
| aquaculture-derived income. | | | | of very limited natural resources and the growing |
| . Fish can make a unique contribution to | | | | population. However, due to insufficient local food |
| efforts to improve and diversify dietary intakes | | | | production, lack of distribution and food supply |
| and promote nutritional well-being among most | | | | systems and low incomes, food security still |
| population groups. Fish have a highly desirable | | | | remains a crucial problem for many poor |
| nutrient profile providing an excellent source of | | | | households. The shortage of arable land and |
| high quality animal protein that is easily digestible | | | | resources is compounded by obsolete or absent |
| and of high biological value. Fatty fish, in particular, | | | | technology and insufficient financial inputs into |
| are an extremely rich source of essential fatty | | | | agriculture and aquaculture. |
| acids, including omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty | | | | Investment in infrastructure in rural |
| acids (PUFAs), so important for normal growth | | | | areas, especially in water, roads, power and |
| and mental development, especially during | | | | communications, has a crucial role in kindling |
| pregnancy and early childhood. Fish are also rich in | | | | agricultural growth. If countries get these |
| vitamins and minerals (especially calcium, | | | | conditions right, dramatic benefits to agriculture |
| phosphorus, iron, selenium and iodine in marine | | | | and aquaculture and poor rural households can be |
| products).Fish therefore can provide an important | | | | expected. |