Resilient Livelihoods and Food Security in Coastal Aquatic Agricultural Systems: Investing in Transformational Change

Abstract

"Coastal aquatic agricultural systems are generally highly productive, but multiple constraints limit the ability of poor families to harness this productivity to improve food security, nutrition, and income. Securing improvements in fisheries and aquaculture for poverty reduction requires addressing these constraints in a multi-sectoral context, recognizing that families dependent upon aquatic agricultural systems pursue a diversity of livelihood options. Transformational change depends on locally driven solutions, rooted in multi-stakeholder dialogue and participatory analysis of the constraints and opportunities in each location, linking solutions across scales. Many of the drivers of change--including international trade and investment, climate change, and ecosystem degradation--are shared among coastal regions in Asia, the Pacific, and Africa, providing important opportunities for exchange of lessons and experience. Technological and market innovation to improve productivity and income of poor coastal fishers and farmers must be complemented by investments that enhance their resilience to natural disasters and economic or institutional shocks and that strengthen their social, political, and economic rights. The CGIAR is pursuing these goals through an integrated program of action research aimed at improving food security for 50 million households by 2022, in collaboration with national and local institutions and international development partners."