The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Blue Growth Initiative (BGI) aims at building resilience of coastal communities and restoring the productive potential of fisheries and aquaculture, in order to support food security, poverty alleviation and sustainable management of living aquatic resources. Promoting international coordination is crucial to strengthen responsible management regimes and practices that can reconcile economic growth and food security with the restoration of the eco-systems they sustain.

Launched in 2013 and led by the FAO and its partners – UNDP, NORAD, WWF, UNEP, ICFA, MSC, GEF, World Bank, the Netherlands –, the BGI has been working with 10 developing countries: Cabo Verde, Madagascar, Seychelles, Senegal, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Bangladesh, and Indonesia.

Objectives:

1. Enabling environment (capacity building, knowledge platform, and improved governance) established within 2 to 3 years in 10 target countries.
2. 10% reduction of carbon emissions in the 10 target countries in 5 years and 25% in 10 years.
3. Reduction of overfishing by 20% in the target countries in 5 years and 50% in 10 years.
4. "Blue communities" established in 5 target countries and resource stewardship ownership with 30% improved livelihoods.
5. Ecosystem degradation reversed in the target countries and 10% ecosystems restored in 4 target countries within 5 years.

Means:

• Improved evaluations of ecosystem services in Large Marine Ecosystems including coastal zones and Lakes for local and regional integrated and spatial planning,
• Strengthened fisheries and aquaculture governance and institutional frameworks to set clear objectives and development paths for the sector;
• Increased contributions from the small-scale fisheries and aquaculture sectors – through improved fisheries management, aquaculture development and improved post-harvest practices and market access;
• Increased resilience to climate change, extreme events and other drivers of change through improved knowledge of vulnerability and adaptation and DRM options specific to fisheries, aquaculture and dependent communities who are at the front line of change;
• Technical and financial support to transitioning the sector to low-impact and fuel/energy efficiency and Blue Carbon enhancements.

Photo credit: Bytemarks (Flickr)