FISH4ACP has announced the Blue Food Forum in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to be held 12-13 September 2024. The global forum will focus on sustainable practices in aquatic food value chains. Supported by the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the European Union (EU), and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), FISH4ACP pursues sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (ACP). The Blue Food Forum contributes to this mission by utilising momentum generated by the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, which inspired global interest and action in transforming food systems. The forum enables FISH4ACP and related initiatives to share their knowledge with partners, value chain experts, representatives, and supporters. Simultaneously, discussions regarding the national and global pathway to developing a sustainable aquatic food value chain will be encouraged.
FISH4ACP established three ideal outcomes of the Blue Food Forum. First, to understand how aquatic food value chain development intersects with the goals of the UN’s 2030 Agenda, the European Union’s Green Deal, FAO’s Blue Transformation agenda, and other international policies geared toward sustainability; to build on successes and learn from past experiences in aquatic food chain development in order to identify opportunities for expansion; and, lastly, to identify effective avenues for investment that will increase aquatic food value chain development. Innovation in their value chain approach, FISH4ACP found, has carved a path toward sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in the ACP region that promotes inclusivity, food security, and minimal environmental impact. Collaboration with both local communities and stakeholders is integral to understanding how aquatic food value chains promote economic, sustainable, and social growth across the world. At the Blue Food Forum, attendees will explore this approach through panel discussions and opportunities to engage with stakeholders.
Further updates and information on the Blue Food Forum can be found on the FISH4ACP website at www.fao.org/in-action/fish-4-acp.