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Advancing Resilient Aquatic Food Systems in Tanzania: Insights from the 1st Science-Policy Lab

Published: 10 December 2024

On September 12, 2024, the SASI-SPI program hosted its inaugural Science-Policy Lab (SPoL) on Aquatic Food Systems as part of the Blue Food Forum in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. This high-profile event, organized by the FAO and the Tanzanian Government, attracted 250 participants from 12 African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries, fostering dialogue among stakeholders from government, civil society, and the private sector.

Addressing a crucial challenge

Aquatic food systems are vital for livelihoods and food security worldwide. However, efforts to enhance their resilience often stumble due to informality, fragmented governance, and limited coordination among stakeholders. The SPoL session, attended by 30 representatives from diverse sectors, aimed to bridge this gap by introducing a systemic approach to strengthen resilience in aquatic food value chains.

 Why a systemic approach?

The session highlighted three pillars of a systemic approach:

  1. Coordinating Public and Private Responses: Resilience requires more than isolated efforts. Public and private sectors must work together to address external shocks such as climate change or economic crises.
  2. Formalizing Informal Value Chains: Informality leaves many small-scale operators, especially women and youth, vulnerable. Formalizing these systems can enhance visibility, access to markets, and resilience.
  3. Empowering Meso-Institutions: Organizations like producer unions and community groups play a vital role in bridging public and private sector efforts. Supporting these "meso-institutions" through digitization and professionalization is essential.

 Interactive Engagement and Insights

Participants actively debated these ideas, voting on proposed strategies and engaging in dynamic discussions. While there was broad agreement on the need for systemic approaches, challenges such as fostering effective collaboration between stakeholders and operationalizing solutions were identified. Key areas of focus included:

  • The importance of robust governance frameworks, supported by capacity building and improved data systems
  • Strengthening collaboration between the public and private sectors
  • Addressing informality by promoting inclusion of vulnerable groups like small-scale fishers and women in resilience strategies
  • The impact of climate change and economic shocks on aquatic food systems

 Key Outcomes and Next Steps:

The SPoL revealed strong interest in systemic approaches but underscored the need for further collaboration, capacity building, and evidence-sharing. Participants called for practical examples and better communication tools to ensure ideas translate into actionable solutions. This session not only set the stage for enhanced resilience in aquatic food systems but also strengthened the SASI-SPI program’s role as a facilitator of meaningful science-policy interactions.