Approximately 200 million people in Africa derive high-quality and low-cost proteins from fish. However, the consumption of fish is not fully exploited to combat the “triple burden” of malnutrition—obesity, undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies which are the leading causes of poor health in the region.

1. REDUCING MALNUTRITION AND RURAL POVERTY IN NIGERIA: THE
NEED TO REFOCUS ON AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES PRODUCTION.
PROF. YEMI AKEGBEJO-SAMSONS
FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE,
DEPARTMENT OF AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES MANAGEMENT,
ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA.
1

2. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
1. ABSTRACT
2. INTRODUCTION
3. PROBLEM STATEMENT
4. WHY SDGS
5. POVERTY AND MALNUTRITION IN NIGERIA - A CURSE OR A CULTURE
6. AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES – A RESCUE MISSION
7. ARE WE DOING ENOUGH?
8. THE WAY OUT
9.CONCLUSION
2

3. ABSTRACT
The Fisheries and Aquaculture sectors in Africa are increasingly contributing to food and nutrition security, foreign exchange,
employment, and livelihood support services.
Approximately 200 million people in Africa derive high-quality and low-cost proteins from fish. However, the consumption of fish
is not fully exploited to combat the “triple burden” of malnutrition—obesity, undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies which
are the leading causes of poor health in the region.
Globally, approximately 800 million people depend on fisheries and aquaculture for their
livelihoods
The United Nation’s 2030 development agenda adopted in 2015 outlines, 17 sustainable development goals (SDGS) with a
corresponding 169 targets that are expected to guide national, regional, and international agencies’ actions to achieve
sustainable development over the next decade. 3

4. ABSTRACT…..
2
Despite significant progress being made towards reducing hunger and combating malnutrition
and food insecurity, significant challenges persist.
This paper, reviews the available literature with the aim of assessing and quantifying the
extent to which fish contributes towards the reduction of malnutrition and rural poverty in
Nigeria.
It also highlights the numerous contributions of fish and fisheries as food, source of
employment, income earner and poverty alleviation enterprise.
This paper recommends a re-focus on the entrepreneurial importance of fish farming and a
review of the fish farming methods and fisheries that guarantee improved modern day
technological methods and indigenous knowledge.
4

5. INTRODUCTIO
N
►In the year 2000, the millennium development goals (MDGS) were adopted by 189 member countries of the UN
including Nigeria. The focus was to fast track key developmental issues which include improving and increasing the
availability of basic life sustaining goods, raising the standard of people’s living as well as expanding the barometer of
economic and social choices.
► A set of eight goals to be achieved by 2015 was adopted by the united nations which were to eradicate extreme
poverty and hunger among others. The MDGS which comprises eight major goals and 18 targets were time bound till
2015 to halve developmental issues in comparison with the 1990 figures. Essentially, these goals seek to address key
areas of development such as: poverty, education, health care, environmental sustainability and international
cooperation.
5

6. INTRODUCTION…….Contd
► The 17 SDGS carry on the work begun by the millennium development goals (MDGS), which galvanized a global
campaign from 2000-2015 to end poverty in its various dimensions. Yet while the MDGS only applied to developing
countries, the SDGS will apply universally to all UN member states, and are considerably more comprehensive and
ambitious than the MDGS
► Essentially, these goals seek to address key areas of development such as: poverty, education, health care,
environmental sustainability and international cooperation. SDG 2 in particular aims at addressing all forms of hunger, as
well as food and nutritional insecurity. Despite significant progress being made towards reducing hunger and combating
malnutrition and food insecurity, significant challenges persist.
►This paper, reviews the available literature with the aim of assessing and quantifying the extent to which fish contributes
towards the reduction of malnutrition and rural poverty in Nigeria. The paper recommends a re-focus on the entrepreneurial
importance of fish farming and a review of the fish farming methods that guarantee improved modern day technological
methods and indigenous knowledge.
6

7. PROBLEM STATEMENT
♦Several interventions related to fish intake, aquaculture and capture fisheries in Asia and Africa have aimed to improve
nutritional status through influencing dietary intake directly, and raising productivity and household income.
While there are many positive efforts to increase production and income, direct and indirect impacts on nutritional status have
not been fully analyzed. The pathway through which the increased income and fish production is linked to nutritional status is
not clear (Kawarazuka, 2010).
♦ Nigeria is Africa’s wealthiest, most populous nation and its fastest-growing economy. Despite this, more than half of the
country lives below the poverty line.
The underlying causes of malnutrition in Nigeria are numerous. They include among others, poverty, inadequate food
production, inadequate food intake, ignorance and uneven distribution of food, poor food preservation techniques, improper
preparation of foods, food restrictions and taboos among others. Fish however plays an important role in fighting hunger
and malnutrition. The actual contribution that fisheries can make to nutrition and food security depends on the
supply, distribution, and utilization of fish.
7

8. WHY SDGS ?
♦ Nigeria was among the 189 countries worldwide that endorsed the united nations millennium declaration in New York in
September 2000, which led to the adoption of the eight time-bound millennium development goals (MDGS) with several
targets and indicators to be achieved by 2015.
The millennium development goals (MDGS) which has translated to a broader SDGs were put up to address and include the
issue of sustainability in development.
♦ The outcome document inter alia, calls on member states to “develop as soon as practicable, ambitious national
responses to the overall implementation of this [new] agenda … in order to support the transition to the SDGS and
build on existing Planning instruments, such as national development and sustainable development strategies”.
8

9. WHY SDGS
?......Contd
♦ In September 2015, world leaders converged at the United Nations HQS in New York to consider and adopt a new
comprehensive, ambitious and transformational development Agenda. The outcome document adopted during the summit
outlines
♦ A set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) and 169 targets aimed at eradicating poverty in all its forms and
shifting the world onto a sustainable and resilient development pathway while ensuring that ‘no one is left behind’
♦ The SDGS seek to build on and complete the unfinished business of the MDGS; realize the human rights of all; achieve
gender equality in all sectors and spheres of life; and importantly, strike a balance between economic, social and
environmental dimensions of development.
9

10. MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGS)
1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Develop a global partnership for development 10

11. THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 4. Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent
work for all
Goal 9. Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Fisheries and Aquaculture play important roles in Goals 1, 2, 5, 8, 14 and 15 11

12. THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS……Contd
Goal 10. Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13. Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts*
Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests,
combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16. Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and
build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development
12

13. POVERTY AND
MALNUTRITION
Poverty is not having enough material possessions or income for a person's needs. Poverty may include social, economic,
and political elements. Absolute poverty is the complete lack of the means necessary to meet basic personal needs, such as
food, clothing and shelter (Wikipedia).
Malnutrition
That malnutrition is a function of poverty is self-evident.
(a) Is a condition that results from eating a diet in which one or more nutrients are either not enough or are too much such that
the diet causes health problems. It may involve calories, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins or minerals.
(b) Is poor nutrition due to insufficient, poorly balanced diet, faulty digestion of poor utilization of foods
13

14. AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES – A RESCUE
MISSION
►Fisheries is a major economic sector, estimated to employ over 8.6 million people directly and a further 19.6 million
indirectly, 70 percent of whom are women.
► Currently, Nigeria produces just over 1 million metric tons of fish, leaving a deficit of over 800,000 metric tons, which is
imported annually. Recognizing the importance of fish within the agriculture sector for its potential contribution to alleviating
poverty, improving food and nutrition security, there is the need to refocus our attention towards making fisheries production
and aquaculture practices less cumbersome and profit-oriented.
► The nutrition and food security contributions of fish, in particular from capture fisheries, are of crucial importance to
Nigeria’s growing population. Fish provide 17 percent of the global supply of animal protein.
► To maintain these important nutrition and food security contributions, policy needs to address a number of drivers of and
threats to capture fisheries.
► According to recent estimates, 10 percent of the world will experience deficiencies in essential micronutrients and fatty
acids as a result of declining capture fisheries.
14

15. FISH, FISH IN EVERY WATER……
15

16. FISH, FISH IN EVERY WATER…..
16

17. NIGERIA’S ENORMOUS FISHERIES
RESOURCES
• FISH REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT DIETARY ELEMENT AND ONE OF THE FEW SOURCES
OF ANIMAL PROTEIN AVAILABLE TO MANY NIGERIANS.
• NIGERIA IS THE LARGEST AQUACULTURE PRODUCER IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA AND
THIS IMPORTANCE IS STEADILY INCREASING.
• THE AQUACULTURE SECTOR IS DRIVEN BY THE PRIVATE SECTOR, WITH FEED AND SEED
PROVIDED BY PRIVATE BUSINESS.
• FROM 21 700 TONNES IN 1999, AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION HAS GROWN STEADILY
TO 316 700 TONNES IN 2015 ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNMENT REPORT.
17

18. NIGERIA’S ENORMOUS FISHERIES RESOURCES…..Contd
• CATFISH, TYPICALLY GROWN IN PONDS AND TANKS, IS THE MOST FARMED SPECIES IN
NIGERIA, CONSTITUTING OVER HALF OF THE TOTAL AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION BY
VOLUME.
• IN 2012, 13 627 PEOPLE WERE REPORTED AS EMPLOYED IN AQUACULTURE (2% WERE
WOMEN).
• IN 2015, THE TOTAL FISHERIES PRODUCTION WAS ESTIMATED AT 1 027 000 TONNES,
TO WHICH MARINE CATCHES CONTRIBUTED 36 PERCENT, INLAND WATERS CATCHES
CONTRIBUTED 33 PERCENT AND AQUACULTURE 31 PERCENT.
• MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF NIGERIA’S TOTAL DOMESTIC PRODUCTION IS
GENERATED BY ARTISANAL SMALL-SCALE FISHERS FROM COASTAL, INSHORE, CREEKS
OF THE NIGER DELTA, LAGOONS, INLAND RIVERS AND LAKES. 18

19. FOOD SECURITY CONTRIBUTIONS OF
FISH
Fish makes crucial contributions to food security at global, national, and local levels.
(A) Globally, more than 3.1 billion people rely on fish for nearly one-fifth of their average per capita protein from animal
sources.
(B) Some countries (Maldives, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and
Ghana) obtain more than half of their animal-source protein from fish.
(C) Certain individual communities are nearly entirely dependent on fish for protein. For example, in Madagascar, fish
constitute 99 percent of meals with concentrated protein, and some communities in the Brazilian Amazon consume 169
kilograms of fish per capita per year, much higher than the global average of 20 kilograms per capita per year (Bennett et al,
2018).
19

20. MULTI-FACETED HEALTH BENEFITS FROM
FISH
(A) Fish provide essential micronutrients—vitamins and minerals—and omega-3 fatty acids, which are necessary to end
malnutrition and reduce the burden of communicable and non-communicable disease around the world.
(B) In addition to healthy lean protein, fish provide crucial fatty acids, including omega-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids, and
essential micronutrients, including vitamins A, D, a B & Calcium, Zinc, Iron and Iodine.
(C) The density of different nutrients in fish varies by species, habitat, and environmental factors as well as by how the
fish are processed, prepared, and consumed.
20

21. MULTI-FACETED HEALTH BENEFITS FROM FISH…..Contd
(D) The multiple nutrients found in fish have a variety of health benefits, including lowered risk of cardiovascular
disease; improved maternal health, pregnancy outcomes, and infant and early childhood physical development; improved
immune system function; and alleviation of health issues associated with micronutrient deficiencies such as anemia,
rickets, childhood blindness, and stunting.
(E) Consumption of fish also carries some risk of exposure to toxic substances such as polychlorinated biphenyls,
dioxins, methylmercury, and micro-plastics (Bennett et al, 2018)
21

22. IMPORTANCE AND RELEVANCE OF FISH AND FISHERIES VIS-À-VIS
SDG GOALS
AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES CAN……………………………….
Goal 1. End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2. End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 5. Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 8. Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent
work for all
Goal 14. Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests,
combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
22

23. WHAT WE CAN DO
BASED ON OUR RESEARCH, HERE ARE FIVE WAYS TO ACHIEVE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
IN AQUACULTURE PRODUCTION.
♣ INVESTING IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES. ...
♣ REDUCE DEPENDENCY ON OCEAN CAUGHT FISH AS FEED. ...
♣ FOCUS ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS BEYOND INDIVIDUAL FARMS. ...
♣ REWARD SUSTAINABLE FARMING. ...
♣ EAT SUSTAINABLE SEAFOOD
23

24. ARE WE DOING ENOUGH
Nigeria has clearly defined her path to the SDGS, but a lot of support will be needed in her
pursuit of the SDGS, especially in the areas of resource mobilization, technology transfer and
continuous capacity development for reliable data collection, processing as well putting in
place institutional mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of the SDGS indicators on a
timely basis (Orelope-Adefulure, 2017).
I believe that we can do more than the theoretical approaches that has been the bane of our
developmental strides.
NIGERIA HAS A HUGE POPULATION OF YOUTHS WASTING AWAY
NIGERIA IS A STORE OF GRADUATES THAT ARE UNUSEABLE/UNDERUTILIZED
NIGERIA HAS NATURAL RESOURCES THAT ARE YET TO BE TAPPED FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
NIGERIA IS GROANING UNDER A CLOUD OF SECTIONALAND TRIBAL LEADERS THAT HAS NOTHING TO OFFER
NIGERIA HAS EXPERTS AND INTELECTUALS THAT ARE ONLY RELEVANT OUTSIDE THE SHORES OF THE COUNTRY.24

25. SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT TO DO
1. The major players in fisheries and aquaculture should promote common sustainable
solutions driven by international trade and innovations.
2. INNOVATIVE approaches and investment necessary to restore the productive capacity of
the inland waters and oceans within the framework of the SDGS and its targets.
3. Improve sustainability performance drastically by minimizing negative impacts of
aquaculture practices on the ecosystems.
4. Up-scaling proven solutions based on strengthened partnership.
5. Post-harvest processing, distribution and marketing of fish and seafood should catalyze
further economies of scale to promote competitive value chains and sustainable trade.
25

26. SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT TO DO….Contd
1. Improvements in breeding technology, disease control, feeds and nutrition, and low-
impact production systems.
2. Policies that can give farmers incentives to practice more sustainable aquaculture.
3. Funding of homestead aquaculture for rural poor households to earn an income
4. Adoption of better management practices to boost farmers’ profits
5. Farming of fast-growing genetically improved tilapia boosts farmers yields and
household consumption of fish
26

27. SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT TO DO…Contd
Federal, State and NGOs must be involved……..
6. Higher level of cooperation and partnership to share knowledge and experiences to
improve policies, innovations ------
7. Best fisheries practices.
8. Feed and seed production.
9. Vaccine production and animal health protection
10. Value addition, logistics and services to promote marketing and distribution.
27

28. Generally
Financial and technical assistance, as well as technology transfer, will be a driving force
to create and implement national and regional strategies for sustainability, preservation
and protection of their fisheries industries.
Achieving Goal 14 will also contribute to other SDGS, such as Goal 1 (end poverty in all
its forms).
Goal 2 (end hunger, achieve food security and improve nutrition, and promote
sustainable agriculture),
Goal 8 (promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth), and Goal 12 (ensure
sustainable consumption and production patterns).
Empowerment of value addition is essentially converting raw fish to semi-finished or
finished product that has more value in the market place.
28

29. CONCLUSION
• FISH AND OTHER AQUATIC ANIMALS MAKE AN ‘IRREPLACEABLE’ CONTRIBUTION TO
FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY IN MANY ASIAN AND AFRICAN COUNTRIES WHERE
LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE ARE POOR AND UNDERNOURISHED
• BY 2030 AQUACULTURE WILL PROVIDE 16 MILLION AND 47 MILLION ADDITIONAL
TONNES OF FISH (Hall et al, 2011)
• AQUACULTURE IS A YOUNG INDUSTRY—DECADES BEHIND THAT OF LIVESTOCK
FARMING.
• A COMPREHENSIVE NATIONAL FOCUS ON AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES
DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA WILL ALLEVIATE POVERTY AND MALNUTRITION
29

30. FELICITATION
THANKS FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION
30