Thumbnail Image

Beyond borders: Advancing food and nutrition security through sustainable fisheries

Key achievements of the EAF-Nansen Programme 2017–2023

Year of publication 2025

Place of publication Rome, Italy ;

Pages 28 p.

Author FAO

Publisher FAO ;

Product type Booklet

Synopsis (short abstract) Millions of people cannot afford a healthy diet, and the number of people at all stages of food insecurity is growing. Aquatic food is widely recognized as crucial to feeding and nourishing the expanding global population due to its role in providing essential proteins, fatty acids and micronutrients to people that have limited sources of these nutrients. Recognized as pivotal in addressing food insecurity, the ocean serves multiple roles in sustaining life on Earth. It provides a wide range of goods and services, plays a key role in atmospheric and climate regulation, and serves as a catalyst for employment generation, trade facilitation, and enhancement of socioeconomic well-being for millions worldwide. However, the ability of marine ecosystems to sustainably provide essential resources, particularly aquatic foods, is under significant threat, especially due to: excessive fishing pressure, climate change, pollution from marine and land-based sources, and other pressures coming from multiple uses of the ocean. This is compounded by weak governance and fisheries management systems, along with a lack of resources and expertise to effectively manage the negative impacts and their cumulative effects.The Nansen Programme has been one response to these threats, serving as a collaborative platform for ocean science, fisheries management and capacity development. Since 1975, it has represented a longstanding adaptive partnership between Norway, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and a range of partner countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Central America, as well as regional fisheries bodies. This publication presents the results achieved from 2017–2023, and the phase referred to as “The EAF‑Nansen Programme: supporting the application of the ecosystem approach to fisheries management, considering climate and pollution impacts”.

Cite this content as:

FAO. 2025. Beyond borders: Advancing food and nutrition security through sustainable fisheries – Key achievements of the EAF-Nansen Programme 2017–2023.Rome. 

Language English

Also available in:
No results found.

Related items

Showing items related by metadata.

  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (series)
    Small fish for food security and nutrition 2023
    Also available in:
    No results found.
    Food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition have been on the rise in recent years, due to disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing climate shocks and conflicts. Decades of steady progress to reduce food insecurity and malnutrition were often attributed to increased food production and intensification of few food staple crops and livestock, however more recent focus has shifted to the role of small-scale producers and the importance of diverse and nutritious foods. This technical paper brings focus to the often overlooked ‘small fish’ which play an integral role in the food security, nutrition and livelihoods of the small-scale fisherfolk who harvest, process, market, trade and distribute small fish to communities near and far from water bodies. The technical paper explores the various dimensions of the ‘small fish food system’, addressing drivers, scales, interactions and multiple outcomes and trade-offs, such as that of small fish used for food versus feed. Throughout, the work applies a human-centred perspective, emphasizing how people are involved in various stages of a food system, and how interactions and networks between them play a role in food system dynamics and outcomes. It is also emphasizes how people play multiple roles within a food system, and thus should not be narrowly defined as fishers, processors or consumers. The paper documents project implementation and lessons from the FAO subprogramme titled “Implementing the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines for gender equitable and climate resilient food systems and livelihoods”, and the SmallFishFood, Ikan-F3, Dried Fish Matters, and Fish4Food projects led by the University of Bergen, the University of Amsterdam and the University of Manitoba.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (series)
    Africa regional overview of food security and nutrition 2020: Transforming food systems for affordable healthy diets 2021
    Also available in:
    Africa is not on track to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 targets to end hunger and ensure access by all people to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food all year round and to end all forms of malnutrition. The number of hungry people on the continent has risen by 47.9 million since 2014 and now stands at 250.3 million, or nearly one-fifth of the population. The 2017, 2018 and 2019 editions of this report explain that this gradual deterioration of food security was due to conflict, weather extremes, and economic slowdowns and downturns, often overlapping. A continued worsening of food security is expected also for 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to hunger, across all countries in Africa millions of people suffer from widespread micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight and obesity are emerging as significant health concerns in many countries. This report shows that the food system in Africa does not provide food at a cost that makes nutritious food affordable to a majority of the population, and this is reflected in the high disease burden associated with maternal and child malnutrition, high body-mass, micronutrient deficiencies, and dietary risk factors. The report also shows that current food consumption patterns impose high health and environmental costs, which are not reflected in food prices. The findings presented in this report highlight the importance of prioritizing the transformation of food systems to ensure access to affordable and healthy diets for all, produced in a sustainable manner.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Book (series)
    Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition 2024
    Building resilience to climate variability and extremes for food security and nutrition
    2025
    Also available in:
    Latin America and the Caribbean have seen a decline in hunger and food insecurity for two years, driven by social protection programs and post-COVID recovery. However, disparities persist, especially among women, rural populations, and vulnerable groups. The region is unlikely to meet most nutrition targets, and healthy diets remain expensive. Climate variability is increasing in the region, affecting food security across availability, access, utilization, and stability. This climate impact reduces agricultural productivity, disrupts food supply chains, and raises food prices. Vulnerable populations are most affected, with changing diets further exacerbating the situation. Climate change is worsening food security and the causes of malnutrition.
Show more

Users also downloaded

Showing related downloaded files

No results found.