The African Development Bank Group and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) have called for greater recognition of the contributions made by inland fisheries and the vital opportunities they can provide - particularly for society's poorest and most marginalised groups.
The plea was made in September in Dakar, during the 20th session of the Committee for Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa (CIFAA). The event, witnessed by several stakeholders, saw the launch of the latest edition of the Circular 942 on the global status of inland capture fisheries, published for the first time jointly by the FAO and the Bank.
The Circular, a reference document contributing to an overall understanding of inland fisheries and fostering dialogue on their current and future role, notes they are often neglected or marginalised in debates on development despite the importance they can play in achieving global development and conservation goals.
More than half of the world's malnourished population live close to areas where domestic fish production tends to be significant, but often do not benefit from high percentages of total global total catches.
"Inland fishing is important in terms of production, productivity and efficiency; its contribution to livelihoods includes food security and nutrition within food systems," said Vera Agostini, Deputy Director of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Division at the FAO. "We need to make it a priority and redeploy it to the people who need it most."
Hailing the document as "extremely important and comprehensive," Mohamed Chérif, the African Development Bank's Country Manager for Senegal, believes that it sheds a light not only on the state of resources and their use, but also on the contribution of fisheries to food security and the livelihoods of the communities that depend on them. "For the first time, it also underlines the importance of traditional practices and management methods for the sustainability of these fisheries," he noted.
According to Chérif, the Bank Group will continue to focus on investments in natural capital management, biodiversity and nature conservation. "Through initiatives such as the African Natural Resources Management and Investment Centre, the Bank will support enhanced governance of natural resources and the development of natural capital," he said. "It will also facilitate investment in natural resources and boost their contribution to industrialisation and economic transformation on the continent."
Fatou Diouf, Senegal's Minister of Fisheries, Maritime Infrastructure and Ports, pointed out that African countries have shown considerable interest in the numerous studies on inland fishing and aquaculture. "In the face of paltry production, when there is existing potential, we should try to find sustainable solutions together," she said. "We need to invest in processing and move towards blue transformation. We will have to work collectively to achieve this aim."
The 20th Session of the CIFAA concluded on 25 September. It was followed by a high-level conference for policy stakeholders entitled "Advancing Sustainable Aquaculture for Blue Transformation in Africa".
