In a landmark development, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization has announced that global aquaculture has surpassed traditional catch fishing for the first time in history. The FAO's State of World Aquaculture and Fisheries Report 2024, also known as SOFIA, reveals that fish and marine plant farming in all its forms reached an impressive 139.9 million metric tons, with 94.4 million metric tons being aquatic animals, equivalent to 51% of the total aquatic animal production. The remaining 37 million metric tons largely consisted of seaweed and algae.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu welcomed the significant achievements in the aquaculture sector but emphasized the need for further transformative and adaptive actions to strengthen the efficiency, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability of aquatic food systems. He stressed the importance of consolidating their role in addressing food insecurity, poverty alleviation, and sustainable governance.
Manuel Barange, FAO Assistant Director-General, highlighted the potential for aquaculture to feed the growing world population, noting that it has been the fastest-growing food production system globally for the last five decades. The report underscores the crucial role of aquatic animal foods in providing high-quality proteins, contributing 15% of animal proteins and 6% of total proteins worldwide, along with essential nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins.
Unsurprisingly, the majority of the top aquaculture-producing countries, with the exception of three, are located in Asia. The top 10 producers, namely China, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, the Philippines, South Korea, Norway, Egypt, and Chile, accounted for nearly 90% of all aquaculture production. The FAO emphasized the importance of developing the industry in other regions, particularly in Africa, which currently relies on fish imports.
The report also highlights the significance of fisheries and aquaculture as a source of livelihoods. According to the latest data, an estimated 61.8 million people were employed in the primary sector of fisheries and aquaculture in 2022, a slight decrease from 62.8 million in 2020.
Looking ahead, the SOFIA report projects that aquatic animal production will increase by 10% by 2032, reaching 205 million metric tons, driven by aquaculture expansion and capture fisheries recovery. Apparent consumption is expected to rise by 12%, supplying an average of 21.3 kg per capita in 2032, fueled by rising incomes, urbanization, improvements in post-harvest practices and distribution, and dietary trends.
However, the report raises concerns about the potential decrease in per capita apparent consumption in Africa, as production projections may not keep pace with population growth. This is particularly alarming for sub-Saharan Africa, where many countries rely heavily on aquatic foods to meet their nutritional needs, especially for animal proteins and micronutrients.
The FAO emphasizes the need to accelerate "Blue Transformation" priority actions in a world where aquatic foods play an increasingly significant role in ending hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. The report presents a scenario highlighting the potential implications of population dynamics on the supply of aquatic animal food up to 2050, indicating that maintaining the estimated 2022 level of 20.7 kg per capita would require an increase in the total aquatic animal food supply of 36 million metric tons, a 22% rise.
As the world faces the challenges of feeding a growing population while ensuring sustainable practices, the aquaculture sector's remarkable growth and its potential to contribute to food security and nutrition cannot be overstated. The FAO's report serves as a clarion call for continued investment, innovation, and collaboration to harness the full potential of aquaculture and address the pressing issues of hunger, malnutrition, and poverty on a global scale.
