News
Meet the Nutrition Specialist: Lora Iannotti
"We have to figure out how to nourish well 10 billion people while simultaneously protecting our planet. I believe these two challenges are intertwined, and thus, the solutions should also be connected."
U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization highlights MSU partnership to strengthen food security
he Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is highlighting its partnership with Mississippi State University to develop and enhance animal and veterinary public health, plant and fish health, food safety and nutrition programs.
2019-2020 Fish Innovation Lab Graduates
This academic year, four student researchers on Fish Innovation Lab project graduated from their colleges and universities.
Increased Fish Intake Improves Brain Development for Young Children
Although she had been feeding fish to her children already, Matunda Said now gives them even more of this nutrient-rich food. Packed with long-chain fatty acids and other nutrients, fish can be a critical source of nutrients linked to improved brain development in young children.
Meet the East Africa Specialist: Austin Humphries
"I wish more people knew how vitally important fish is to not only the livelihood and wellbeing of individuals in developing economies, but also to their cultural identity and spiritual health. Untangling these can be difficult since they represent shared histories with the environment."
Dried Small Fish (Kapenta)
Our featured recipe this month is for Zambian kakeya or kapenta (sardines) cooked with tomatoes and onions and served with greens, cabbage, or nshima (cornmeal porridge). This small fish offers a terrific package of concentrated nutrients important for growth and brain development in children and general health for adults.
Replacement of fisheries-derived fishmeal with yeast-derived proteins for sustainable aquaculture in Zambia
Fishmeal is a fisheries-derived product that is used as a protein source in the diet of farmed animals, including farmed aquatic animals (finfish and shellfish). Aquaculture is currently the main consumer of the global fishmeal production. Given the sustainability concerns inherent to fishmeal production, it is necessary to find alternative protein sources, which will substitute fishmeal, in order to support the sustainable growth of aquaculture globally.
Internal Survey Tool Will Measure Gender Integration in Fisheries and Aquaculture
In communities worldwide, gender issues in small-scale fisheries and aquaculture have implications for all fish value chain activities, from production through consumption. Research shows that empowering women fishers, processors, traders, and entrepreneurs across the fish value chain can positively impact nutrition and food security, particularly in vulnerable households. To better understand these dynamics, the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Fish (Fish Innovation Lab) is developing an internal survey tool to understand issues of gender equity across its projects.
Fish Innovation Lab Featured in Recent Feed the Future Gender Report
The “Gender Integration in USAID’s Agricultural Research Investments: A Synthesis of Key Findings and Best Practices” report summarizes the extent and nature of gender integration across 20 agricultural and food security research activities funded by the USAID’s Bureau for Food Security, including 16 Feed the Future Innovation Labs. The report focuses on four broad themes and explores key project documents, an in-person workshop, and key informant interviews with 38 research directors, gender advisors, and other activity staff. Explore the infographic below to discover key findings and best practices from the report.
Reducing Post-Harvest Losses in Nigeria's Aquaculture Sector Contributes to Sustainable Development
The low production and consumption of fish in Nigeria is because of rudimentary production systems in the country, more competitive imported fish products, and high poverty rates that limit purchasing power of consumers. The situation is further complicated by high “post-harvest losses” in Nigerian fish food production and consumption systems. Post-harvest loss is a reduction in the value (e.g., mass, monetary value, or nutritive value) of fish after they are harvested. Of all the losses to suffer in an agricultural system, post-harvest losses are the worst. While increasing fish production and productivity in the long term are practical strategies for increasing fish consumption that address malnutrition in Nigeria, reducing post-harvest losses of fish from farm gate to consumption is an economic and a rational strategy of increasing value of aquaculture businesses that lead to sustainable economic development. Efforts at increasing production outcomes will also create jobs and reduce waste through post-harvest loss reduction.