This document summarizes key points from a presentation on innovations for sustainability and resilience in aquatic systems in Africa. It discusses growing global demand for fish and the opportunity for aquaculture to close the gap between supply and demand. While aquaculture makes up 50% of global fish supply, it only contributes 16% in Africa. The document outlines opportunities for innovation in Africa around genetic improvement of fish species, systems approaches to aquaculture, and taking a livelihoods and systems perspective through Aquatic Agricultural Systems. Partnerships are highlighted as important for making progress on the aquatic agriculture research agenda, which includes sustainable productivity increases, improved market access, resilience, and enabling policies.

1. Innovations for sustainability and
resilience in aquatic systems
Tabeth Matiza Chiuta, WorldFish Regional Director
for Africa [on behalf of Dr. Steven Hall]
19th
July 2013, Accra, Ghana

2. 4 issues
• Fish – trends and
opportunities
• Aquaculture innovation
• Taking a systems
approach
• Making it happen
through partnerships
Photo Mongu
fisher lady - switch

3. Global consumption patterns

4. Global consumption patterns

5. Growth in demand for fish (2007 – 2015)
Source: Cai (2011) Preliminary notes on forecasting the country’s future demand for fish.

6. Growing importance of aquaculture
• Growing gap between
demand and supply
o Most traded food
commodity
• Stable or declining
capture fisheries
• Rapid growth in
aquaculture
o 6% per year in past 5yrs
o 12 million Asian fish
farmers
Global fish production
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
year
milliontonnes
capture
culture
source: FAO

7. 7
African aquaculture lagging behind
Aquaculture
• 50% of global fish supply
• 16% of African fish supply
Production
Milliontonnes
1995 2000 2005 2010
2
4
6

8. Aquaculture Growth in Egypt

9. Aquaculture Growth in Ghana

10. Innovation – genetic improvement
Genetic gain in GIFT in Malaysia (>10% per generation)

11. Components Objectives
1. Fish and shrimp seed Dissemination of improved quality
lines of fish and shrimp seed
2.2. Household aquaculture Improving the nutrition and income
status of farm households
3.3. Commercial
aquaculture
Increasing investment,
employment and fish production
through commercial aquaculture
4. Institution and policy Support to regulatory reform and
institutional capacity building for
sustainable aquaculture growth
Innovation – systems improvement

12. Innovation - value

13. Innovation – 3 components

14. Aquatic
Agricultural
Systems
Need to take a systems approach
to innovation
Major demand and opportunity in
Africa to harness the potential of
increased fish production
Opportunities and capacity to
innovate
Fish + Agriculture +

15. Rural poverty and AAS
Source: Bené & Teoh, in prep.
System Area
(km²)
People Living in
poverty
Africa –
freshwater
800,000 70m 43m
Africa –
coastal
300,000 12m 7m

16. AAS livelihoods in Zambezi basin
livestock
crops
fish
nrm

17. Aquatic Agricultural Systems
Beyond commodities to
focus on systems’ and livelihoods

18. AAS research agenda
• Sustainable increases in productivity – crops, fish,
livestock
• Improved access to markets
• Strengthened resilience and adaptive capacity
• Enhanced gender equality in access to and control
of resources and decision making
• Improved policies and institutions
• Scaling up (knowledge sharing and learning)

19. AAS
Southern
Polder
Zone
WHEAT;
GRiSP
CPWF - WLE
CCAFS
A4NH
PIM
CGIAR
Alignment
L&F

20. AAS innovation
• Gender
• Nutrition
• ME&IA
• Scaling
• Partnerships
• Capacity dep’t

21. AAS – African Partnership – NEPAD; FARA
• Choosing where we work
• Knowledge, information and
technology systems
• Joint communications
• Building capacity

22. Thank You