The contribution of small-scale fisheries to healthy food systems and sustainable livelihoods in the Southern African Development Community

Abstract

This Small-scale Fisheries Brief is tailored to provide insight into the contribution of small-scale fisheries to healthy food systems and sustainable livelihoods in the the Southern African Development Community (SADC).SADC comprises 16 Member States that lie in southern sub-Saharan Africa. The region is rich in aquatic resources, with vast inland waterbodies and marine waters. The fisheries sector generates immense social, economic and nutritional value, which acts as a lifeline for millions of people within the region. In 2021, over 3.1 million tonnes of fish were harvested from freshwater and marine capture fisheries in the SADC region. Capture fisheries are dominated by small-scale fisheries, with many countries having almost exclusively small-scale fisheries relative to large-scale ones. More than 22.7 million women and men depend on small-scale fisheries for their livelihoods and subsistence.Strengthening the commitment and implementation of the Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines) within national policies and plans can help safeguard and enhance small-scale fisheries’ contributions to sustainable development and food systems in the SADC region. The Illuminating Hidden Harvests initiative has generated new evidence about the value of small-scale fisheries to sustainable development globally and within the SADC; evidence that has informed this brief.