Marina Lipari, European Commission Directorate General for International Partnerships from the Unit in charge of Sustainable Agrifood Systems and Fisheries.
What is your vision for sustainable aquatic food systems?
Aquatic food systems supported by the EU are aquatic food systems that are experiencing the transition from being a neglected sector to one that is recognized as a key driver for food and nutrition security, but also economic growth and environmental sustainability. This transition is particularly crucial, especially in EU partner countries experiencing malnutrition and food insecurity.
At the global level, my vision would include targeted investments that shift the sector of aquatic food systems from relying on short-term interventions to long-term and systemic transformations. This would involve strengthening governance, raising awareness about aquatic foods nutritional values, and improving infrastructure.
Additionally, ensuring social and economic inclusion, particularly for small-scale fishers and coastal communities, alongside promoting circular economy principles, will be key to building a truly sustainable and equitable aquatic food system.
What needs do you see to achieve the vision?
At the EU level, targeted sectoral investments need to be complemented by transversal ones, which means that when we invest in aquaculture directly, for example, in innovative conservation, we also need to invest in infrastructure in EU partner countries to be able to provide and export aquatic foods to nearby places and countries. From a global perspective, today’s discussion during this science policy lab highlighted the critical need to empower all the different stakeholders by ensuring their voices are heard. Policy decisions must be grounded in science-based evidence, and a multistakeholder approach can provide valuable insights for policymakers. While we recognize the immense potential that the sector of aquatic food systems holds, overcoming persistent obstacles requires creating space for dialogue, collaboration, and informed decision-making.
How do you think these stakeholders should be organized and what challenges do you see?
Being here today, we reinforce this fundamental principle that improving the aquatic systems is not just a technical but also a governance challenge, a financial challenge, and especially a shared responsibility. Effective stakeholder organization requires inclusive, multi-level collaboration between governments, research institutions, the private sector, and local communities to ensure a well-integrated and sustainable approach.
The challenge that really stood out to me is the lack of awareness of the nutritional value of aquatic foods in certain African countries, where people may not consume fish simply due to limited knowledge of its benefits. Another critical challenge highlighted is the downstream-upstream communication with local governments in certain African countries, making it difficult to implement effective policies and support systems. Additionally, the infrastructure is also a challenge - while fishers can catch fish, they often struggle with preservation due to a limited awareness of or access to proper conservation methods.
How do you find the conclusions of the science policy lab?
It is a very good starting point that builds on the science policy labs done in Tanzania, Kenya, and South Africa. Each lab showed that it is important to meet in a room, face the challenges, and speak about them. This lab in Brussels allowed a fruitful discussion that will serve as a base for what areas demand more attention and focus. I really take with me the engagement of the participants who traveled far away to contribute. However, we are still far from reaching a path for action, so we need more dialogues and gatherings like this to arrive at concrete recommendations for institutions.
The interview was made during the Global Science-Policy Lab on Aquatic Food Systems in Brussels 3-4 March 2025 (SASi-SPi project funded by the European Union).