TEMPO.CO, Nusa Dua - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Indonesia showcased its works in Aquatic Inland and Marine Biodiversity at the Asia Pacific Global Environment Facilities (GEF) workshop and learning station to disseminate learnings and best practices that have been achieved in the last four years.
The GEF Council approved $78.5 million for 13 FAO-led projects in 16 countries, including Indonesia. Numerous works have been implemented in managing aquatic inland and marine biodiversity in close collaboration with the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries under the Indonesian Seas Large Marine Ecosystem (ISLME) and IFISH projects.
The FAO-GEF project partnered with Indonesian Ministries, including the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Marine and Fisheries. The GEF- FAO projects address global environmental crises that impact the productivity and sustainability of agri-food systems in land and water across five continents.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) was established at the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 to help tackle environmental problems. Since then, the GEF has provided more than $21.1 billion in grants and mobilized an additional $114 billion in co-financing more than 5,000 projects in 170 countries.
At the Asia Pacific workshop, FAO ISLME is selected as one of the GEF Learning Stations for its support for transboundary sustainability, marine habitat protection, and mariculture productivity. Project activities are data-driven and based on evidence, and conducted in close partnership with key stakeholders, such as academia, fishers groups, women’s groups, and the private sector.
They also strengthen EAFM for fisheries’ management areas 712, 713, 714, and 573 and the northern water of Timor Leste. Furthermore, the pilots on Ecosystem Approach to Aquaculture and Integrated Multi Aquaculture set the direction for sustainable mariculture. The project is also carrying out Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis leading to a Strategic Action Programme for ISLME.
FAO Representative in Indonesia and Timor Leste Rajendra Aryal said, “Sustainable management of blue economy activities, that include Blue Foods – foods produced from the ocean and lakes and rivers – have an essential role to play in achieving food security, ending malnutrition, and building healthy, nature-positive and resilient food systems in the country."
More than 3,000 species of aquatic animals and plants are captured or cultivated for use as food in the world. They are produced through a wide variety of systems – from ocean-going factory trawlers to small-scale fishers using smaller boats, and freshwater fishponds. Blue foods are already a cornerstone of the global food system, providing a vital source of nutrition for more than 3 billion people worldwide, and livelihoods for other hundreds of millions.
FAO
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