Contribution of Aquaculture to Food Security Globally Modadugu V Gupta.

Contribution of Aquaculture to Food Security Globally

Modadugu V Gupta

The greatest disease of all humankind is “hunger”

Global population from 1.5 billion in 1900 to 7 billion now and to 9 billion by the year 2050; may reach 10 billion

Estimated 925 million under nourished Micronutrient deficiencies affecting > 2 billion 250 million children at risk of vitamin A deficiency; equal

number suffer from deficiency of minerals (iron, zinc, calcium, etc.)

MDG target of reducing hunger by half by 2015; under nourished declined from 20% of population to 16% in 2010; but no decline in absolute numbers

Where are undernourished/food insecure?

Poverty and Food Insecurity• Food security; not just producing food, but also access to food• Food security linked with poverty and rural development• Economic access to food ONLY when households generate sufficient

income• Aquaculture provides primary source of income• Aquaculture can be a starting

point for alleviation of poverty in rural areas

Contribution of Fish to Nutrition• Fish “Rich food for Poor”; cheapest animal protein • Provides over 20% of animal protein to 2.6 billion people

globally; in developed countries 13%, while in developing countries > 30%

• Major source of animal protein in regions where animal protein in diets is below world average

• Provides at least half of animal protein intake for 400 million poor in S. Asia & Africa

• Rich source of protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Some fish high in calcium, zinc, vitamin A and iron

Contribution of Fish to Nutrition

Source: H.H. Jensen / Marine Pollution Bulletin 53 (2006) / Albert Zeucack 2010

Percentage of fish in animal protein consumption

Contribution to Livelihood

• Globally over 540 million (8% of population) involved in fisheries & aquaculture; growth more than population & employment in traditional agriculture

• Fisheries and Aquaculture provides primary source of income

• 80-100% of rural aquaculture products sold generating cash for families

• Cash generated used for buying other necessities• Brings in foreign exchange

Economic Importance of Fish

• Fish most internationally traded commodity; About 40% global production enters international

trade against 10% for meat

• Global trade in fish over $ 102 billion in 2008

• Exports of fish & products exceed those of meat, dairy, cereals, sugar, coffee, oilseeds, etc.

• In many developing countries foreign exchange from fish exports finances other food imports

Source: Jiansan Jia 2010

Demand for Fish

• Present global production of food fish 115 million tons

• Demand for fish increased at twice population growth over last 50 years

• Estimated additional 20-30 million tons required to meet demand by 2020; could be an underestimate

• Per capita consumption increased from 11.5kg in 1970 to 12.5kg in 1980 to 14.4kg in 1990 to 17.0kg in 2008

Growing Economic Power, Growing Middle Class

Numbers (millions) of global middle class

Source: Homi Kharas, The emerging middle class in developing countries, OECD 2010

2009 2020 2030

North America 338 333 322

Euope 664 703 680

Central and South America 181 251 313

Asia-Pacific 525 1740 3228

Sub-Saharan Africa 32 57 107

Middle East and North Africa

105 165 234

World 1845 3249 4884

Global Fish Production

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Mill

ion

t

Capture Aquaculture Total

Source : FAO year Book 2007

Aquaculture Importance Aquaculture fastest growing agriculture commodity with annual

growth of >6% in last two decades Increased from <1 million tons in 1950 to 55 million tons in 2009 80% comes from 20 million small-holder farms

(<2ha) in developing countries; Environmental demands for unit biomass or

protein produced are lower as compared to poultry , piggery and beef

Grain needed for production of 1kg protein offish: <13kg; pork 38kg; beef 61kg

Animal protein with small carbon footprint. : 0.96% of total Co2 emission; 6.3-7.5% of

agriculture emission

Prevalence of iron and vitamin A deficiency

Cambodia: WFP promoting Esomus longimanus to supplement iron for small children

Bangladesh: 1.3 million ponds; 10 kg/pond Amblypharyngodon mola can meet vitamin ‘A’ requirement of 2 million children

Breakthroughs in research & developmentdomestication of more species, 72 sps. in 1950 to 336 sps. in 2006Better aquatic animal health management

Increasing demand – domestic & exportImprovement in policies & governance

Regional importance Asia-Pacific dominance; over 60% from freshwater

China: 61.5% Rest of Asia: 29.5%

Europe: 3.6%; mostly high value marine, commercial; research & development remarkable

S. America: 2.2%; commercial & industrial; opportunities for small-scale aquaculture development

North America: 1.5% – finfish & shellfish development Africa: 1.4%; small-scale & commercial; slower

development; gaining importance; increased by 56% during 2003-2007; expansion of small-scale aquaculture

Aquaculture can be integrated in to farming systems

Red tilapia farm in Malaysia

Source: DOF, Malaysia

Intensively managed tilapia tanks

Tanks in Arizona

Tanks in California

Source: K. Fitzsimmons

Raceways in Arizona

Source: K. Fitzsimmons

Raceways in Mexico

Intensive Raceway Systems

Capture based culture in open waters

Mariculture

Fastest growing subsector of aquaculture Of 202 maritime countries and territories, 93 with

mariculture in 2004-2008; 15 countries account 96% global production

Caters to high end markets Breeding technologies developed for more species;

moving from wild caught seed to hatchery produced seed

High growth potential

Farming of non-food species

Ornamental fish farmingo $ 5 billion marketo $ 15 billion industry

Seaweeds farmingo $ 5-6 billion

market Pearl farming

Women and Aquaculture

Strong relationship between hunger and gender inequality Equalising women status with men in S. Asia and SS Africa

estimated to reduce malnourished children by 13.4 and 1.3 million respectively

Women mostly involved in processing and marketing Excellent opportunities for involvement of women in aquaculture production Many success stories – increase

in household incomes, betternutrition and health for family

Capture32%

Aqua-culture

68%

Capture69%

Aqua-culture

31%

Share of global aquaculture in fish production, 1997 and forecast for 2020

Fish production 1997 Increase in fish production,2020

Source: Rosegrant 2003

Historical trends in farmed fish production and projections of future production: 65-85 million tons by 2020 and 79-110 million tons by 2030

Source: S. Hall et.al. 2011

Challenges• Impact of declining water and land resources• Impact of climate change• Impact of intensification and spatial concentration

of farms • Increased aquatic animal health

concerns

• Protecting environment• Sustaining production and

livelihoods

Action needed to increase contribution of aquaculture to food security

• Strengthen research including fish health management; farmed sps. increased from 72 in 1950 to 336 sps. in 2006

• Integrate small-scale aquaculture into globalised market economy (improving market access, horizontal & vertical linkages, developing business models, etc.)

• Species adaptable to climate change; genetic improvement • Integrated water resource management• Introduction of BMPs• Ecosystem approach to aquaculture• Food safety and product quality • Improvements in policies and governance

Conclusion

• Aquaculture has shown resilience to various economic crises in the last decade

• While precise data not available, available information indicate, contribution of aquaculture to poverty alleviation, food security, employment, trade & gender opportunities is on the increase

• Long term sustainability of aquaculture- economic, social & environmental and contribution to food security depends on commitment of governments and good governance

Thank you