FAO and the World Bank Highlight the Importance of the Blue Transformation and Blue Economy in Latin America and the Caribbean Projects

With the aim of discussing strategies to promote ocean sustainability and economic development in the region, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Bank organized the webinar “Promoting the Blue Economy for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

During the event, projects in Argentina, Belize, and Chile were presented, where work is being done with local communities on the management and governance for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in marine and coastal ecosystems, with an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries.

The latest edition of the report The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) indicated that global production of fisheries and aquaculture in 2022 reached 223.2 million tons, a 4.4% increase compared to 2020. Latin America and the Caribbean produced 17.7 million tons of fishery and aquaculture products, representing 8% of global production.

Given this relevance, FAO is providing assistance to projects in the region that promote the Blue Transformation initiative, a comprehensive process that maximizes the expansion of aquatic food systems, strengthening their contribution to more sustainable production, better nutrition, environmental conservation, and improved quality of life.

Meanwhile, the Blue Economy, addressed by the World Bank, is key to ensuring the sustainable use of ocean resources, driving economic growth, job creation, and improved livelihoods, while preserving the health of oceans, seas, and coastal regions. This approach promotes efficient management, driven by innovation and multisectoral and integrated collaboration among different sectors.

The event featured the participation of Harrison Charo Karisa, Senior Fisheries Specialist (Aquaculture) at the World Bank Group; Nicolas Desramaut, Senior Environmental Engineer at the World Bank for Latin America and the Caribbean, Jamaica; Dayne Buddo, Regional Project Coordinator, Caribbean (Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism - CRFM), Belize; Manuela Erazo, National Coordinator of the GEF Marine-Coastal Governance Project, FAO-Chile; Natalia Raissa Huykman, Environment and Natural Resources Officer, Programs, FAO-Argentina; Javier Villanueva, Senior Fisheries and Aquaculture Officer at FAO; and José Aguilar-Manjarrez, Aquaculture Officer at FAO.

The meeting is part of a series of seminars scheduled for the 2025-2026 biennium for the Blue Transformation agenda and allows for the anticipation of key topics ahead of the technical dialogues to be held in June 2025, within the framework of the XIX Meeting of the Commission on Small-Scale, Artisanal Fisheries, and Aquaculture of Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPESAALC), organized by FAO.