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Why focus on sustainable aquaculture in Mexico?

Mexico is the number one country for overweight and obese children facing a future of poverty

34.4% of Mexican children suffer from being overweight or obese

Universidad Tecnológica del Mar de Tamaulipas (UTMarT)

Universidad Tecnológica del Mar de Tamaulipas (UTMarT)

Nearly 70% of the population is overweight
[Global Nutrition Report 2016 – http://globalnutritionreport.org/the-report/]

46% of the population lives below the poverty line
[http://www.ibtimes.com/mexicos-economy-rising-poverty-inequality-undermine-pena-nietos-economic-agenda-2080010. Retrieved 2016-10-06.]

37.6 million people live on less than $5 per day
[World Bank. “Mexico – New Global Poverty Estimates”“1.4 millones de mexicanos dejan la pobreza extrema entre 2010 y 2012”. Animal político. 2013-07-29. Retrieved 2013-07-31.]

Many families are “Food insecure,” meaning they cannot meet even their most basic nutritional needs for some or all of the year. When you are poor your main interest is in locating any food for your family, nutrition is not top of mind.

Studies have shown that obese children have significantly higher values of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose, predisposing significantly to adulthood at high risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, two of the leading causes of death in the country. This is a pathway to continual problems in health and wellbeing.

Against this background Mexico has the diversity of a variety of climate conditions and ecosystems which aids in the development of a more diversified aquaculture sector. The further development of aquaculture in Mexico will depend upon the successful application of capability and capacity building through our Aquaculture Learning Centre arrangements. Aquaculture without Frontiers’ volunteers will build capability and capacity in sustainable aquaculture, basic business and nutrition.

Fish and seafood are important ingredients in this nutrition. There is much evidence of the benefits of seafood’s essential fatty acids, nutrients, vitamins and protein in human development. [http://www.foodinsight.org/Fish_and_Your_Health]

By learning to produce their own food, being made aware of basic nutritional and health issues, and being given the chance for more income and jobs, we aim to help them to drive change at grassroots level which is where success in poverty alleviation starts.

The outcomes will not only be a catalyst for change in the above areas and opportunities, they will also develop local and international networks that will help achieve long-term goals and make a better life for families.

Initially we will concentrate on Tamaulipas as this State has excellent prospects and scope for success from an aquaculture perspective and we have an international agreement in place with Universidad Tecnológica del Mar de Tamaulipas (UTMarT) as our Aquaculture Learning Centre.