Aquaculture and Food Security

Food security can be defined as “secure access to enough food at all times.” Aquaculture can affect human food security by increasing income and thus enlarging the capacity to purchase food on the market. In this study, however, the primary concern is with the aquaculture product as food, not as a commodity of economic value to its producers and sellers. The major impact of aquaculture’s product on food security is its contribution to overall food supplies for the general population. Another impact that must be distinguished is aquaculture’s influence on the food security of the poor, those most vulnerable to malnutrition. Aquaculture makes a large, positive contribution to the world’s food supply. With respect to fish food supplies for the poor in particular, however, aquaculture’s net effect is not so clear. Traditional extensive forms of aquaculture generally make a positive contribution. However, most modern intensive forms of aquaculture are directed toward upscale markets, and do not provide increased food supplies for the poor. Modern, intensive aquaculture operations sometimes even make the poor worse off. Aquaculturists do not have any greater obligation to feed the poor than anyone else. However, there is a special obligation if the operation has significant negative nutritional (or environmental, economic, or other) impacts, perhaps by displacing more traditional operations. There is also a special obligation if public funding was obtained on the basis of a claim or implication that the project would improve the food security of the poor. If aquaculture’s products are to be used to strengthen the food security of the poor, several guidelines should be considered: 1. Funding for aquaculture for the poor should be increased. 2. Aquaculture projects should do no harm to the food supplies of the poor. 3. Existing aquaculture activities for the poor should be strengthened. 4. The focus should be on low cost products favored by the poor. 5. Production should be for local consumers. 6. Community production should be encouraged. 7. Food security impacts should be monitored.