News

Image Alternative Text: Fishing is a way of life for many Cambodians and management of fisheries requires accurate data, as the fisher shown here learned.

Increasing Fisheries Sustainability for Resilience Team's Executive Summary

The Increasing Fisheries Sustainability for Resilience acivity's objectives were to improve sustainable fisheries management by developing a citizen science program to monitor fish populations, create an online platform (iFISH) to visualize and interpret data, improve fish shelf life through education on fish preservation techniques, and conduct nutrient analyses of primary harvested species. Learn about the results and the activity's recommendations by reading this executive summary.

Image Alternative Text: Fish farmers discussing Lean technology near aquaculture ponds.

Applying Lean Management in Aquaculture Production Team's Executive Summary

The Applying Lean Management in Aquaculture Production activity used the Lean management approach to minimize costs and maximize efficiency by eliminating waste and converting waste into value in aquaculture production in Nigeria. Read the team's executive summary to learn about their results and recommendations.

Image Alternative Text: Two ladies collecting nutrition data in Kenya

Samaki Salama Team's Executive Summary

The Samaki Salama activity aimed to promote sustainable fisheries practices and improve the nutritional status of young children. Read the team's executive summary to learn about their results and recommendations to address human health and malnutrition in small-scale fisher households.

Image Alternative Text: Aerial view of a patchwork of integrated fish-prawn-vegetable “ghers” in Kulna district, southwest Bangladesh.

Harnessing Machine Learning Team's Executive Summary

The Harnessing Machine Learning activity utilized artificial intelligence (machine learning) and remote sensing to extract and analyze data on fishponds from satellite images. The data gathered facilitated development of an interactive online data visualization tool used to estimate aquaculture’s multi-dimensional contributions to the economy and nutrition, focusing on production, economic value added, and employment, all differentiated by gender. Learn about the results and the activity's recommendations by reading this executive summary.

Image Alternative Text: Map showing location of fishing communities and their fishing grounds used to estimate stocks, yields, and fishing areas by management systems. Inset shows locations of various fisheries closures used to estimate fish stocks and recovery rates in the southern Kenya–Northern Tanzanian region.

Low Optimal Fisheries Yield Creates Challenges for Sustainability in a Climate Refugia

The Achieving Coral Reef Fishery Sustainability activity in Kenya has a new journal article in Conservation Science and Practice. From the research, both fisheries stock and catch assessment methods found low production and excess effort when evaluating a semi-enclosed bay on the Kenya–Tanzania border for sustainability. Therefore, low to modest capture rates of fish will be required to allow the recovery needed to achieve sustainability and restore the refugia's ecology.

Image Alternative Text: Photo of Dr. Mark Keenum, President of MSU, and Qu Dongyu, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Director General Visits MSU to Deepen Collaboration in Science, Data, and Innovation for Agrifood Systems Transformation

Qu Dongyu, Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), met with senior executives and researchers at Mississippi State University (MSU), including Mark Lawrence, director for both the Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security and the Fish Innovation Lab.

Image Alternative Text: Shown here at one of MSU South Farm’s aquaculture ponds, along with Qu, are Mark Lawrence, second from left, director of the international Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish; Gabriella Piacentini, special assistant to the Director General; and Peter Allen, MSU aquatic sciences professor and production frontier specialist.

UN Food and Agriculture Organization Director General Qu Dongyu Visits MSU

FAO Director General Qu Dongyu toured the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish and MSU aquaculture research facilities, as well as the High Performance Computing Collaboratory, in addition to meeting with senior MSU officials.

Image Alternative Text: Image of Lora Iannotti with logos and text announcing BIFAD award

Fish Innovation Lab Nutrition Specialist Dr. Lora Iannotti Receives 2022 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence in a Feed the Future Innovation Lab

The Fish Innovation Lab's nutrition specialist and PI of the Samaki Salama activity, Lora Iannotti, is the recipient of the 2022 BIFAD Award for Scientific Excellence in a Feed the Future Innovation Lab. This honor recognizes her work to improve nutrition for vulnerable groups through sustainable fisheries.

Image Alternative Text: A farmer feeds the fish in her aquaculture pond.

Improving Biosecurity Team's Executive Summary

The Improving Biosecurity activity in Nigeria aimed to better understand the disease and health status of catfish aquaculture through the deployment of a digital epidemiology survey, collection and laboratory analyses of biological samples, and a series of stakeholder consultations. Learn about the results and the activity's recommendations by reading this executive summary.

Image Alternative Text: Woman stands near field with table of dried fish

United States Announces $29 Million Investment to Extend Two Feed the Future Innovation Labs

USAID announced a five-year extension for the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish and the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Legume Systems Research. These critical investments will increase productivity and raise incomes of small-scale farmers and fishers so they can produce more affordable, nutritious foods and help improve diets in their own communities and beyond.