He explained how, thaks to its blue economy policy, Zanzibar is pushing to increase seaweed farming, and encouraging women to participate in it; “…as a double dividend for nutrition and gender equity,” he said.
He emphasised the need for increased investments in cold storage and fish processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses which he cited as a major deterrent in the sector and in agriculture in general.
The Zanzibar minister underlined the need to pair development of aquatic food systems with gender parity to resolve inequality by promoting and supporting the role of women and youth in the sector.
“Across Tanzania, from Kigamboni to Kilwa, women are drying fish, farming seaweed, and selling aquatic produce in markets. But they need access to capital, to better technology, and most importantly, to decision-making spaces,” he urged.
Under the umbrella of its blue economy policy, the minister went on to cite how Tanzania is piloting aquatic food training centres aimed at supporting youth to acquire and apply climate-smart aquaculture skills, including sustainable pond farming and low-carbon feed techniques.
“This is how we move from potential to prosperity,” the minister urged.
“In 2030, we’ll be asked what we did with these six remaining harvests…Let’s ensure our answer is, we used them to feed people, protect our planet, and leave no one behind,” minister Othman summed up.
The minister’s views were backed by scientific panelists including Jörn Schmidt, Science Director for Sustainable Aquatic Food Systems at WorldFish, who said it is high time that other countries follow in Tanzania’s footsteps and bring aquatic foods from the margins to the mainstream.
Schmidt called for urgent action on three fronts, first he cited nutrition, pointing out that sea food is especially high in nutrients. The he urged increased production of aquatic agricultural resources and thirdly, he called for equity, a balance in harnessing ocean resources and marine life sustainably.
In terms of nutrition, the scientist said research shows that even modest increases in aquatic food consumption in the first 1,000 days of life could significantly reduce stunting and improve cognitive development. As for increase in production, he recommended low-impact, high-return systems such as seaweed and bivalves such as clams, oysters, mussels and scallops.
For equity, he said, there is need to secure tenure for small-scale fishers, gender inclusion, and expanded social protections.
Notably, in 2023 alone, global fish production hit 189 million tons, delivering about 21 kilograms of aquatic animal protein per capita. However, an alarming 23.8 million tons, that is almost 15 percent, was lost or wasted due to poor handling and inefficient distribution systems.
“These losses are not just about food they are lost nutrition, lost income, and lost opportunity,” the scientist decried. He said if properly managed, aquatic foods could be the backbone of a global “blue transformation.”
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Speaking at the same panel discussion was the Executive Director of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission, Rhea Moss-Christian, who underscored the link between aquatic foods and broader development frameworks.
She cited a case study of tuna fisheries that she said is a good example of an economic solution for small island developing states, the likes of Zanzibar. The Executive Director emphasized the fact that tuna fishing is not just a food source, but rather, “…it is a pillar of public finance.”
“Let’s be clear,” she said. “In some Pacific nations, tuna revenue funds schools, hospitals and roads. A healthy tuna fishery is existential,” she emphasised.
However, she also raised the issue of balancing development with sustainable oceanic practices, a fact that resonated with Tanzania’s own struggle to balance economic imperatives with conservation. Detrimental practices like illegal fishing and weak monitoring infrastructure were put on the table and Zanzibar’s Minister Othman called for stronger regional cooperation in fighting these threats, particulary in the use of satellite based monitoring systems for surveillance.
Backing up the argument for the blue economy policy serving as the legal backbone to developing oceanic resources, Dr. Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted of CGIAR warned that the world is “falling behind on SDG 2 and SDG 14.”
The representative from CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, said seaweed is a good example of a sustainable aquatic superfood that has enormous potential, particularly for South Asia and Africa, she said.
“Tanzania, with its long coastline and established seaweed culture, is ideally placed to lead in this domain,” she pointed out and commedned Zanzibar for instating and promoting the blue economy policy.
The CGIAR representative called for more public and private investment to scale innovations, support local entrepreneurs, as well as integrate aquatic foods into school feeding and public procurement programmes.
“Let us not miss this opportunity, the sea can feed us, if we let it,” she emphasized.
On his part, Ciyong Zou, Deputy Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), highlighted the broader resilience benefits of aquatic food systems. Notably, he pointed to the fact that aquatic foods support over 3 billion people globally, but unfortunately, he decried, post-harvest losses cause the loss of up to 30 percent of these resources particularly in developing countries.
He offered solutions in through case studies from Cambodia and Sudan, where he said, targeted investments in processing and training has led to higher incomes and improved child nutrition. He said UNIDO is committed to expand technical support to 10 additional coastal nations by 2030.
