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The document argues that Africa's fisheries and aquaculture sectors are underperforming despite vast resources, contributing only 6% of global fish production and resulting in a US$6 billion annual import reliance. It highlights systemic challenges including post-harvest losses of up to 30%, gender disparities in resource access, and environmental degradation such as oil pollution in Nigeria's Niger Delta. The briefing proposes a combination of agroecological practices, climate-smart technologies (such as biofloc and RAS), and regional trade integration via the AfCFTA to enhance food security and economic growth. It specifically emphasizes the need for cold-chain infrastructure, the integration of indigenous knowledge, and the empowerment of women and youth to ensure an equitable transition.

The report examines the FAO's aquaculture growth targets and the 2025 Guidelines for Sustainable Aquaculture (GSA), arguing that they lack necessary protections to prevent the diversion of edible wild fish into fishmeal and fish oil (FMFO). Through modelling and case studies in West Africa, the document demonstrates how feed-intensive aquaculture increases pressure on wild fisheries and undermines local food security, particularly for vulnerable populations in Africa and Asia. It further alleges that the FAO's policy framing has been influenced by industry interests, shifting from a 'food-first' approach to one focused on efficiency and 'responsible sourcing' that permits continued extractive growth.

The 2024 WWF-SASSI report highlights the progress of South African seafood retailers in meeting sustainability commitments, noting that while some achieve high compliance (e.g., Woolworths at 93% by species), others lag. It identifies a growing consumer market, with seafood consumption rising to 16.7 million people by 2025, and emphasizes the necessity of a collective industry approach and Fisheries Improvement Projects (FIPs) to secure marine ecosystems.

The document advocates for the integration of a 'gender lens'—defined as business structures and policies that reduce barriers for women and enable their leadership and employment—within low-carbon SMEs. Based on findings from the Gender Equality in a Low Carbon World (GLOW) programme, it asserts that such approaches are successful strategies for business viability, particularly in agriculture and aquaculture value chains.

The report analyzes the impact of the Projet d'Aquaculture Durable à Madagascar (PADM) across six regions, comparing extensive rice-fish farming with intensive aquaculture systems. It finds that extensive systems outperform intensive ones by 36% when negative externalities are included in the valuation.

The document outlines the methodological frameworks used to quantify climate finance needs for agrifood systems. It establishes a comprehensive taxonomy developed by CPI and FAO covering sectors such as crop and livestock systems, forestry, fisheries, and food diets. The 'top-down' approach aggregates data from 46 publications, using seven key reports to estimate needs for 2024-2030, while the 'bottom-up' approach extrapolates data from 167 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The analysis highlights significant data gaps for the post-2030 period and notes that agrifood system finance needs in low-income countries represent a larger relative proportion of their economy, averaging 2.7% of GDP.

The document examines how the climate crisis and overfishing mutually exacerbate marine ecosystem degradation and how these factors disrupt global fisheries trade. It highlights that tropical developing regions are projected to suffer the most severe reductions in fish catches, while the Global North is better positioned to capture new economic opportunities. The author argues for a transition toward low-emission technologies, the removal of harmful subsidies, and the adoption of value-added processing and digital traceability to support developing countries in maintaining food security and economic stability.

The report examines the intersection of Africa's blue economy and the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda, arguing that youth inclusion is essential for sustainable development and maritime security. It identifies climate change, a burgeoning youth population, and coastal migration as critical trends that can either destabilize coastal regions or be harnessed for growth. The document highlights the potential for the blue economy to generate up to US$405 billion by 2030 and provides examples of youth-led initiatives in aquaculture, conservation, and maritime security across various African nations. It concludes that a multidimensional approach, exemplified by the Great Blue Wall initiative, is necessary to build resilience and prevent the radicalization of marginalized youth by providing viable economic alternatives.

The report forecasts that Africa will create between 1.5 and 3.3 million new direct green jobs by 2030 across 12 material value chains. The energy and power sector is the primary driver, with solar energy alone projected to generate up to 1.7 million jobs. The analysis highlights a significant need for both unskilled labor (40% of total) and specialized skills (30%), particularly in solar, climate-smart agriculture, and waste recycling. Five focus countries—South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and the DRC—are expected to contribute up to 720,000 of these jobs, with South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria showing the highest potential. The report emphasizes that while long-term estimates suggest up to 100 million green jobs by 2050, immediate investment in human capital and vocational training is required to realize this growth.

The 2023 assessment by WWF reveals that while 31% of the 42 analyzed asset managers showed minor or moderate improvements in managing nature and biodiversity risks, specific action regarding the seafood sector remains low. Only one asset manager has publicly disclosed seafood-specific E&S expectations for investee companies. The report highlights significant gaps in expectations regarding sustainability certifications and supply chain traceability. It notes a positive trend in Japanese asset managers' progress, likely driven by national biodiversity and IUU fishing regulations. WWF recommends that asset managers formalize biodiversity risk statements into actionable policies, set time-bound sustainability targets, and develop targeted 'blue' financial products to support a sustainable blue economy.

The 2023 assessment of 40 banks reveals that while 23% showed improvements in managing E&S risks in the seafood sector, overall performance remains low with an average score of 21%. Asian banks drove most of the year-on-year progress and the issuance of new blue financial products, while European banks maintained the most robust policies. Despite growing awareness of nature-related financial risks, only 30% of assessed banks have seafood-specific policies, and many lack granular expectations for aquaculture and downstream clients.

The report argues that climate action and gender equality are synergistic and must be integrated to achieve a just transition. Based on 12 projects in 17 countries, it identifies four axes for empowerment: improving productivity of existing activities, helping women enter male-dominated sectors, consolidating low-carbon business plans, and providing access to new green technologies. Key findings highlight that women's traditional knowledge is often inherently low-carbon and that removing discriminatory barriers—such as limited land rights and social norms—can accelerate climate resilience and economic growth. The document provides specific recommendations for policymakers to integrate gender-sensitive budgeting and support women's leadership in sectors like regenerative agriculture, the blue economy, and ecotourism.

The GLOW programme identifies four primary routes for simultaneous women's empowerment and climate action: improving existing activities, enabling entry into male-dominated sectors, consolidating low-carbon business models, and accessing new green technologies. Key findings emphasize that climate action must be rights-based and locally appropriate, as social norms significantly shape women's ability to adopt new practices. The report argues that women's leadership in decision-making and access to productive assets are essential for the effectiveness and sustainability of just transitions. It recommends integrating gender-responsive budgeting, strengthening the gender capacity of local government personnel, and promoting technologies that reduce the drudgery of unpaid care work.

The document examines the M4 framework for marine multi-use projects, identifying a global trend toward combining offshore wind with other technologies, most notably hydrogen production. A technoeconomic analysis of a potential floating wind farm off Scotland indicates that centralized offshore hydrogen production is the most cost-effective strategy. The report highlights that while technical barriers are low, commercialization is hindered by regulatory gaps and a lack of multi-use integration in Marine Spatial Plans.

The report examines the disconnect between Nigeria's top-down climate adaptation frameworks and the actual practices of frontline communities. Through case studies in Ogun, Lagos, and Anambra states, it demonstrates that community-led initiatives—such as biogas production, aquaculture modifications, and traditional erosion control—are already occurring despite limited finance and technical support. The authors argue that integrating these bottom-up strategies into national policies like the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is essential for sustained climate resilience.

The document defines seafood jurisdictional initiatives (JIs) as place-based efforts that combine policy and market-based approaches to achieve holistic sustainability at ecological and political scales. It argues that while traditional certification, ratings, and improvement (CRI) efforts are valuable, they lack the scale to address systemic barriers like climate change, biodiversity loss, and labor rights. The guide outlines the roles of market partners in incentivizing governments through preferential sourcing and long-term contracts, and provides a step-by-step approach for prioritizing jurisdictions and determining investment. It emphasizes that JIs are complementary to CRI efforts and require long-term commitments—often 8 to 20 years—supported by robust monitoring, verification, and community-led governance.

The document outlines a framework for seafood jurisdictional initiatives (JIs) as a complement to traditional certification, ratings, and improvement (CRI) efforts. It defines JIs as place-based approaches that combine governance reform and market-based strategies to address systemic barriers—such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and labor rights—that individual farm or fishery certifications cannot solve alone. The guide details the necessary elements for success, including multistakeholder collaboration, robust monitoring and verification frameworks, and the importance of aligning geographic boundaries with decision-making authority.

The document outlines the concept of seafood jurisdictional initiatives (JIs) as place-based, multistakeholder approaches that combine policy reform with market-based mechanisms to address systemic sustainability barriers. It emphasizes the pivotal role of government authorities in defining boundaries, leading policy changes, and aligning national and international conservation targets. The guide details the incentives for governments to adopt JIs, such as fulfilling UN SDGs and UNCLOS commitments, and provides practical steps for policy-makers to prioritize actions, maximize impact, and monitor progress through collaborative frameworks.

The guidelines advocate for jurisdictional initiatives (JIs) as a complementary approach to traditional certification, ratings, and improvement (CRI) efforts. While CRI focuses on individual farms or fisheries, JIs operate at a broader scale to address systemic issues like climate resilience, biodiversity loss, and labor rights through policy reform and multistakeholder collaboration. The document outlines key enablers for success, including government leadership, long-term blended finance, and ecosystem-based management. It also provides frameworks for monitoring, reporting, and verifying claims, emphasizing that performance outcomes typically take eight to 20 years to materialize. Case studies, such as the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) for tuna and a shrimp aquaculture project in Indonesia, illustrate the application of these principles.

The report details how the expansion of shrimp farming in Ecuador has led to the destruction of over 70% of its mangrove ecosystems by 2020, resulting in biodiversity loss, increased climate vulnerability, and human rights violations. It highlights the role of EU imports and trade agreements in driving this demand and warns that seafood companies and investors face increasing regulatory and reputational risks under emerging EU due diligence legislation.