Category Archives: Updates

AwF chair-elect Barry A. Costa-Pierce elected as AAAS Fellow

The Council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) announced on November 10, 2011, that Professor Barry A. Costa-Pierce, director of Rhode Island Sea Grant and professor of fisheries & aquaculture at the University of Rhode Island, has been elected as an AAAS Fellow. Dr. Costa-Pierce is also the chair-elect of Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF).

Each year the Council elects Fellows whose “efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished.” In the award letter, AAAS states that Costa-Pierce is being honored for “distinguished contributions to global aquaculture and its sustainability and for leadership in marine research, education, and outreach as director of two NOAA-Sea Grant college programs.”

“As a scientist, my first concern has always been how science works to directly benefit people, whether advancing commercial aquaculture to be more sustainable, or helping feed the world’s poor. As a Sea Grant director, my focus has been how new Sea Grant partnerships and institutions can make a real change in the state, in demonstrating credible impacts on the livelihoods of coastal peoples, and increasing stewardship of ocean resources for future generations. Election by the Council as an AAAS Fellow is extremely meaningful to me in recognizing these efforts,” Costa-Pierce says. 

Aquaculture has potential to cut poverty, combat food insecurity – UN report

More than 50 per cent of the world’s food fish will come from aquaculture, making it a crucial method to reduce poverty and combat food insecurity, said a United Nations report released today, while calling for governments to step up their efforts to support this practice.

Aquaculture, which involves cultivating fresh water and saltwater populations of fish under controlled conditions as opposed to catching fish in the wild, is the world’s fastest growing source of animal protein, growing by more than 60 per cent between 2000 and 2008, from 32.4 million tons to 52.5 million tons, according to the report.

“With stagnating global capture fishery production and an increasing population, aquaculture is perceived as having the greatest potential to produce more fish in the future to meet the growing demand for safe and quality aquatic food,” said the report, World Aquaculture in 2010.

The report, released by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), states aquaculture has played an important role in reducing poverty in many parts of the world. However, it says it has not grown evenly throughout the planet. 

Object lessons in the value of helping the world’s poorest farmers

Catherine Bertini and Dan Glickman, co-chairs of the Chicago Council’s Global Agricultural Development Initiative, contributed to the Huffington Post “Object Lessons in the Value of Helping the World’s Poorest Farmers” on October 13, 2011.

The article highlights how the positive effects of small investments in agricultural development assistance can result in returns for both the donor and developing nation, as demonstrated by the two home countries, Ghana and Brazil, of this year’s world food prize winners.

Please consider making a donation to AwF today to help us help the world’s poorest farmers.

Other links:

• The Chicago Council on Global Affairs
• The World Food Prize

Just published: The state of food insecurity in the world 2011

The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2011 highlights the differential impacts that the world food crisis of 2006-08 had on different countries, with the poorest being most affected.

This year’s report describes the effects of price volatility on food security and presents policy options to reduce volatility in a cost-effective manner and to manage it when it cannot be avoided. The report focuses also on the dangers and opportunities presented by high food prices. Climate change and an increased frequency of weather shocks, increased linkages between energy and agricultural markets due to growing demand for biofuels, and the increased financialization of food and agricultural commodities all suggest that price volatility is here to stay.

• Read the executive summary
• Download the full publication
• See the press release
• Visit the FAO Hunger Portal

For more information please contact: sofi@fao.org

7 billion people will inhabit the earth in October 2011

On the 31st of October 2011 the world will reach 7 billion people. That’s the projection from the United Nations Population Fund or UNFPA made on World Population Day, July 11, 2011.

While it’s a once in a lifetime milestone, it’s also an opportunity for the UN to push for better mechanisms to take care of those most vulnerable. To do that, UNFPA is launching a campaign called “7 Billion Actions”, to meet the demands of a growing population.

Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin is the executive director of UNFPA. “The 7 Billion Actions is an effort by UNFPA to reach the 7 billion people in the world asking them what are they going to do to make the world a better place. What action would you take locally to contribute to a better planet and to ensure that we have a more safe world going forward.”

UN Secretary-General Ban-Ki-moon adds that overcoming the challenges of 7 billion people, including being able to feed and shelter those in need, will demand the best in each of us.

For more information log onto 7billionactions.org.

Also read Countdown To 7 Billion: A Tale Of Two Worlds on NPR’s health blog.

Then think of Aquaculture without Frontiers and helping us to help those most in need.

AwF is one of the Organizations Making a Difference on the 7 Billion Actions website; click here.

CP Prima makes generous donation to AwF

AwF received a generous donation of US$ 2000 from CP Prima of Indonesia in appreciation for the presentations to some of their management staff in Jakarta by AwF Director Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons and one of his students, Sidrotun Naim.

“This is a most excellent gesture of CP Prima,” commented AwF Chair M.C. Nandeesha.

The entire Board of Directors would like to thank CP Prima and Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons for facilitating this contribution to AwF’s mission.

Time proves accuracy of AwF founder’s vision

Michael New, OBE, founded Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF) in 2004 and it was launched at the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii. Recently, we had occasion to review the Keynote presentation given by Michael at the WAS meeting in Salvador, Brazil in 2003 wherein his original idea about forming AwF was voiced. In fact, this was the first time the name was mentioned.

We present the full paper arising from that Keynote presentation here (with permission of WAS Magazine editor, Dr. Robert Stickney) for all to read, and to consider how they may help us to achieve the vision presented 8 years ago. The Keynote PowerPoint presentation is available by clicking here.

AwF director Dr Kevin Fitzsimmons remarked in a recent email to Michael, “It was great to reread the paper. Your foresight is a bit amazing almost ten years later.”

Michael’s final words in the keynote after introducing the concept for AwF were a quotation from Oscar Wilde: “Nothing is worth doing except what the world says is impossible”. Obviously, it was and still is possible!

The original paper was published by WAS with the following reference:  New, M.B., 2003. Responsible aquaculture: is this a special challenge for developing countries? World Aquaculture, 34(3):26-30, 60-68, 72.

Chair M.C. Nandeesha shares celebration with AwF Patron M.S. Swaminathan

AwF Chair M.C. Nandeesha visited Chennai, India recently on the occasion of the 22nd foundation day of The M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and took the opportunity to meet with AwF Patron Prof. Swaminathan, who was only too pleased to catch up on our recent activities to assist the rural poor.

The MSSRF marked the day by releasing a report on its activities, something it has done for the 21 previous years.

Dignitaries in attendance included the Central Minister and the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), who announced that 30% of the core funding of the organization was to be provided by DST.

In a recent personal message to our Founder & Patron, Michael New, OBE, Professor M.S. Swaminathan, FRS wrote, “It has been an act of vision on your part to have started Aquaculture without Frontiers. We are indebted to you for this important initiative. With warm personal regards”.

AwF-Nepal project website launched

AwF-Nepal project manager, Dr Ram Bhujel, has created a website to provide donors, supporters, and interested members of the public with information on the project’s progress and achievements to date. Below is taken from the website’s homepage.

Welcome to AwF-Nepal

The AwF-Nepal project was initiated in March 2008 with the partial support of Aquaculture without Frontiers, UK. In the first phase (March 2008 – February 2010), the project was launched in Rainastar Village of Lamjung, which is the lowest part of the district adjacent to Gorkha. During the first phase, 70 women joined in two groups and constructed a pond each to grow fish in addition to traditionally growing vegetables and crops and raising livestock. 

Haiti project proposal and report now available

AwF and NOVUS International have partnered to provide funding and technical support to help build an Aquaculture Learning Center (ALC) in Marigot, Haiti. This project is managed by Bill Mebane, Superintendent Aquaculture Engineering Division, at the Marine Biological Laboratory, who has been involved in training Haitians to farm fish for 9 years; see MBL’s outreach activities.

This project was originally proposed in November 2010 and was approved for funding shortly afterwards. Bill has been kind enough to provide us with an update on the progress of this project: A Brief History of the Aquaculture Learning Center.

The Aquaculture Learning Center is a model of what collaborative partnerships between various organizations can achieve and we invite other organizations to contact us if they have similar ideas that will help AwF to achieve our mission of helping the rural poor to improve the quality of their lives through sustainable and responsible aquaculture.