Using bivalve aquaculture to improve food security and livelihoods in developing countries

1. Using bivalve aquaculture to improve food security and livelihoods in developing countries Ford Evans and Hillary Egna AquaFish CRSP Oregon Sate University Aquaculture 2013 February 22, 2013 Nashville, Tennessee

2. About This Session... • The purpose of thissession: • To highlight and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of bivalve aquaculture as a means to reduce poverty and increase food security in developing countries. • The purpose of thistalk: • To provide background and context regarding the development of pro-poor bivalve aquaculture. Photo: Haws Photo: Haws

3. Global Hunger and Poverty • 868 million people undernourished (FAO 2012). • 1.3 billion live on <US$1.25 d-1 2.5 billion live on <US$2.00 d-1 (World Bank 2012). • Global hunger trending downward. (FAO 2012)

4. Global Population • Population by 2050: 9 billion • Coastal Populations: • 2003 ≈3 billion people • 2050 ≈6 billion people • Urbanization: • By 2050: 6.3 billion people living in urban environments. • “Essentially all of the growth will take place in less developed countries and will be predominately among the poorest populations in urban areas.” (UN) • Global food demand is expected to increase by 60% to 100% by 2050. (FAO, 2012; WWF, 2012)

5. Current Status of Global Bivalve Production • Total global bivalve production (2010): 13.1 million tonnes. • 90% of production occurs in Asia. • <1% of production occurs in Africa. • Major species groups produced (FAO 2010): • 37% - Clams/cockles/arkshells • 34% - Oysters • 14% - Mussels • 13% - Scallops • International trade remains regionalized, accounting for only 2.3% total world export fisheries market. (WHO 2010) • Major exporters: Canada, US, the Netherlands, New Zealand, China. • Major importers: US, France, Japan, Hong Kong, China

6. Nutritious Source of Animal Protein, Fatty Acids, Vitamins, and Minerals • Malnutrition: macronutrients & micronutrients. • Bivalves are a low-fat source of animal protein: • All the dietary-essential amino acids for maintenance and growth of the human body. • A good source of omega-3 fatty acids. • Protein-energy malnutrition: “underweight”, “stunted”, and “wasting”. • Minerals and Vitamins: • 1 billion people worldwide deficient in IRON. • 2 billion people worldwide deficient in ZINC. • 250 million affected by VIT A deficiency. • Good source of B-12 and copper.

7. Low(or Positive) Environmental Impact • Environmental impact low or positive for: (Hall et al., 2011) • Eutrophication, Acidification, Climate change, Energy demand. • Ecosystem services: • Turbidity reduction by filtration • Biodepositionof organics • Sequestration of carbon • Provision of structural habitat • Habitat/shoreline stabilization • Nutrient uptake (e.g. N and P) • “...in many respects, these animal food sources are among the most desirable from an ecological sustainability perspective.” Hall et al., 2011. Photo: Haws

8. Additional Strengths of Bivalve Aquaculture • Income and employment for women, the landless, and unemployed fishers in coastal communities. • Bivalves rely on natural productivity, therefore few inputs are required (e.g. feeds and fertilizers). • Typically require “low-tech” culture systems with minimal capital costs. Photo: Haws Photo: Haws

9. Limitations of Bivalve Aquaculture • Not all marine environments are suitable for growing bivalves: • Protected, near-shore water • Temp, salinity, pH, nutrients, etc. • Clean water • Farmers must have access to seed. • Lack of infrastructure. Photo: Haws Photo: Haws

10. Limitations of Bivalve Aquaculture • User conflicts, property rights, and resource management issues in the near-shore environment. • Policy and governance required to monitor product safety (e.g. routine sampling of biotoxins and pollution). • Lack of certification could restrict export markets. Photo: Haws Photo: Haws

11. In conclusion… • Bivalve aquaculture has many strengths that make it suitable for pro-poor development to meet the demands of a growing population. • Bivalve aquaculture also has limitationsin a variety of areas, including biological, technological, political, economic, social, climate… • The suitability of bivalve aquaculture in any given area should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Photo: Haws Photo: Haws

12. Funding to attend Aquaculture 2013 was provided by theCOLLABORATIVE RESEARCH SUPPORT PROGRAM The AquaFish CRSP is funded in part by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Cooperative Agreement No. EPP-A-00-06-00012-00 and by US and Host Country partners. The contents of this presentation do not necessarily represent an official position or policy of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Mention of trade names or commercial products in this presentation does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use on the part of USAID or the AquaFish Collaborative Research Support Program. The accuracy, reliability, and originality of the work presented are the responsibility of the individual authors.