May 17 2008
World’s Food Crisis, a challenge in Mariculture!
As for the first time the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region establish and run its own Mariculture Network, with the aim of sharing experiences, challenges and strengths of mariculture activities within and outside the region for sustainable development of the industry. We are alarmed by the recent food riots in Haiti, Mexico, Uzbekistan, Venezuela to Senegal. Here is a challenge to consider: tonight - for just one night - go to bed without dinner; go to bed hungry.
The roots for this problem are clearly known, the rising 6.6 billions people want to eat better, which means they need more meat (particularly white meat), and producing required meat take more grains; arable lands are continuing becoming barren; climatic change is blasting vehemently; at the same time, farmers are diverting more and more acres into the production of biofuels to feed automobiles and have lost interest to feed their own stomachs. We do know whether the increase of world food production , will lower global food prices or the change of food preferences consumption patterns from red meat to white meat can still be perpetuated by natural production?
I believe the fastest growing food production system has a huge role to play on this issue, with its world highest food growth rate of 8.9, aquaculture can contribute much in reducing food crisis haunting people all over the world and for good human health due to dietary ingredients contained by fish and fish products. And our region have a potential to do that.
Understanding it has forced us establishing a Maricuture Network for us to have one word “increasing mariculture production” for sustainable development and resource uses in order to protect and maintain forgotten symbiotic nature existed for millenia between human being, aquatic living resources and the environment they interact. we tuned in to let nature nurture us, and make mariculture crowned the title of being the buffer of food crisis facing the world.
2 Responses to “World’s Food Crisis, a challenge in Mariculture!”
Sure, food riots in some parts mentioned and the skyrocket of the food prices in the world triggers expansions of food producing sectors. Aquaculture activities, principally mariculture, as for decades it continues to grow more rapidly than all other animal food-producing sectors, hopeful if well planned, implemented and managed efficiently can better off the crisis!
This is a critical issue right now and there is also quite a debate within aquaculture as to whether grains and fish meal should be used to grow carnivorous fish such as salmon, tuna, shrimp and grouper compared to herbivores, and most destined to the tables of people in the high income nations. I am not sure what percent of the exceptional growth is the higher food chain species, but this is similar to the debate over use of corn for biodiesel. To what extent should we be focusing on species that feed lower on the food chain and can provide cheap protein source for the poor? In addition, while aquaculture has been growing rapidly, I have heard many people say that potential in Africa is great but growth lags terribly in this region. Why is that?