IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/wdevel/v79y2016icp177-196.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Contribution of Fisheries and Aquaculture to Food Security and Poverty Reduction: Assessing the Current Evidence

Author

Listed:
  • Béné, Christophe
  • Arthur, Robert
  • Norbury, Hannah
  • Allison, Edward H.
  • Beveridge, Malcolm
  • Bush, Simon
  • Campling, Liam
  • Leschen, Will
  • Little, David
  • Squires, Dale
  • Thilsted, Shakuntala H.
  • Troell, Max
  • Williams, Meryl

Abstract

Following a precise evaluation protocol that was applied to a pool of 202 articles published between 2003 and 2014, this paper evaluates the existing evidence of how and to what extent capture fisheries and aquaculture contribute to improving nutrition, food security, and economic growth in developing and emergent countries. In doing so we evaluate the quality and scientific rigor of that evidence, identify the key conclusions that emerge from the literature, and assess whether these conclusions are consistent across the sources. The results of the assessment show that while some specific topics are consistently and rigorously documented, thus substantiating some of the claims found in the literature, other areas of research still lack the level of disaggregated data or an appropriate methodology to reach consistency and robust conclusions. More specifically, the analysis reveals that while fish contributes undeniably to nutrition and food security, the links between fisheries/aquaculture and poverty alleviation are complex and still unclear. In particular national and household level studies on fisheries’ contributions to poverty alleviation lack good conceptual models and produce inconsistent results. For aquaculture, national and household studies tend to focus on export value chains and use diverse approaches. They suggest some degree of poverty alleviation and possibly other positive outcomes for adopters, but these outcomes also depend on the small-scale farming contexts and on whether adoption was emergent or due to development assistance interventions. Impacts of fish trade on food security and poverty alleviation are ambiguous and confounded by a focus on international trade and a lack of consistent methods. The influences of major drivers (decentralization, climate change, demographic transition) are still insufficiently documented and therefore poorly understood. Finally the evaluation reveals that evidence-based research and policy narratives are often disconnected, with some of the strongest and long-lasting policy narratives lacking any strong and rigorous evidence-based validation. Building on these different results, this paper identifies six key gaps facing policy-makers, development practitioners, and researchers.

Suggested Citation

  • Béné, Christophe & Arthur, Robert & Norbury, Hannah & Allison, Edward H. & Beveridge, Malcolm & Bush, Simon & Campling, Liam & Leschen, Will & Little, David & Squires, Dale & Thilsted, Shakuntala H. &, 2016. "Contribution of Fisheries and Aquaculture to Food Security and Poverty Reduction: Assessing the Current Evidence," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 177-196.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:79:y:2016:i:c:p:177-196
    DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.11.007
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X15002892
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.worlddev.2015.11.007?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. World Bank & Food and Agriculture Organization, 2009. "The Sunken Billions : The Economic Justification for Fisheries Reform," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 2596.
    2. Robert Arthur & Christopher Mees & Ashley Halls, 2010. "Assessing the impacts of fisheries management science: a review of the Department for International Development's fisheries management science programme," Journal of Development Effectiveness, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 2(1), pages 158-172.
    3. Ben Belton & David C. Little, 2011. "Immanent and Interventionist Inland Asian Aquaculture Development and its Outcomes," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 29(4), pages 459-484, July.
    4. Goss, Jasper & Burch, David & Rickson, Roy E., 2000. "Agri-Food Restructuring and Third World Transnationals: Thailand, the CP Group and the Global Shrimp Industry," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 28(3), pages 513-530, March.
    5. repec:bla:devpol:v:25:y:2007:i:4:p:495-516 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Gordon, A. & Pulis, A. & Owusu-Adjei, E., 2011. "Smoked marine fish from Western Region, Ghana: a value chain assessment," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 39520, April.
    7. Hansen, Henrik & Trifković, Neda, 2014. "Food Standards are Good – For Middle-Class Farmers," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 226-242.
    8. Béné, Christophe & Lawton, Rebecca & Allison, Edward H., 2010. ""Trade Matters in the Fight Against Poverty": Narratives, Perceptions, and (Lack of) Evidence in the Case of Fish Trade in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 933-954, July.
    9. Bennett, Elizabeth, 2005. "Gender, fisheries and development," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(5), pages 451-459, September.
    10. Murshed-E-Jahan, Khondker & Pemsl, Diemuth E., 2011. "The impact of integrated aquaculture-agriculture on small-scale farm sustainability and farmers' livelihoods: Experience from Bangladesh," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 104(5), pages 392-402, June.
    11. Andrew Dyck & U. Sumaila, 2010. "Economic impact of ocean fish populations in the global fishery," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 227-243, October.
    12. Béné, Christophe & Belal, Emma & Baba, Malloum Ousman & Ovie, Solomon & Raji, Aminu & Malasha, Isaac & Njaya, Friday & Na Andi, Mamane & Russell, Aaron & Neiland, Arthur, 2009. "Power Struggle, Dispute and Alliance Over Local Resources: Analyzing 'Democratic' Decentralization of Natural Resources through the Lenses of Africa Inland Fisheries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 1935-1950, December.
    13. Vandergeest, Peter, 2007. "Certification and Communities: Alternatives for Regulating the Environmental and Social Impacts of Shrimp Farming," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(7), pages 1152-1171, July.
    14. Balgah, Roland Azibo & Buchenrieder, Gertrud, 2010. "Targeting of and outreach to the poor by rural development nonprofit organizations in Cameroon," Research in Development Economics and Policy (Discussion Paper Series) 93079, Universitaet Hohenheim, Department of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences in the Tropics and Subtropics.
    15. James Wilson & Jean Boncoeur, 2008. "Microeconomic Efficiencies and Macroeconomic Inefficiencies: On Sustainable Fisheries Policies in Very Poor Countries," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(4), pages 439-460.
    16. Kaczynski, Vlad M. & Fluharty, David L., 2002. "European policies in West Africa: who benefits from fisheries agreements?," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 26(2), pages 75-93, March.
    17. Allison, Edward H. & Ellis, Frank, 2001. "The livelihoods approach and management of small-scale fisheries," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 377-388, September.
    18. U. Srinivasan & William Cheung & Reg Watson & U. Sumaila, 2010. "Food security implications of global marine catch losses due to overfishing," Journal of Bioeconomics, Springer, vol. 12(3), pages 183-200, October.
    19. James R. Wilson & Jean Boncoeur, 2008. "Microeconomic Efficiencies and Macroeconomic Inefficiencies: On Sustainable Fisheries Policies in Very Poor Countries," Post-Print hal-00358129, HAL.
    20. Crosoer, David & van Sittert, Lance & Ponte, Stefano, 2006. "The integration of South African fisheries into the global economy: Past, present and future," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 18-29, January.
    21. Randall Brummett, 2011. "Growing Fish to Make Money in Africa," World Bank Publications - Reports 10427, The World Bank Group.
    22. Lungu, A. & Hⁿsken, S.M.C., 2010. "Assessment of access to health services and vulnerabilities of female fish traders in the Kafue Flats, Zambia: analysis report," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 39166, April.
    23. Thorpe, Andy & Whitmarsh, David & Ndomahina, Ernest & Baio, Andrew & Kemokai, Miatta & Lebbie, Thomas, 2009. "Fisheries and failing states: The case of Sierra Leone," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 393-400, March.
    24. BΘnΘ, C. & Neiland, A.E., 2006. "From participation to governance : a critical review of the concepts of governance, co-management and participation, and their implementation in small-scale inland fisheries in developing countries," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 36883, April.
    25. Kaplan, I. M. & Kite-Powell, H. L., 2000. "Safety at sea and fisheries management:: fishermen's attitudes and the need for co-management," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 24(6), pages 493-497, November.
    26. Béné, Christophe & Merten, Sonja, 2008. "Women and Fish-for-Sex: Transactional Sex, HIV/AIDS and Gender in African Fisheries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 875-899, May.
    27. Tran, Nhuong & Bailey, Conner & Wilson, Norbert & Phillips, Michael, 2013. "Governance of Global Value Chains in Response to Food Safety and Certification Standards: The Case of Shrimp from Vietnam," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 325-336.
    28. Jon G. Sutinen, 2008. "Major Challenges for Fishery Policy Reform: A Political Economy Perspective," OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers 8, OECD Publishing.
    29. Mojola, Sanyu A., 2011. "Fishing in dangerous waters: Ecology, gender and economy in HIV risk," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 149-156, January.
    30. Thorpe, Andy & Reid, Chris & van Anrooy, Raymon & Brugere, Cecile, 2005. "When fisheries influence national policy-making: an analysis of the national development strategies of major fish-producing nations in the developing world," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 211-222, May.
    31. Ahmed, Mahfuzuddin & Lorica, Mylene H., 2002. "Improving developing country food security through aquaculture development--lessons from Asia," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 125-141, April.
    32. Thyresson, M. & Crona, B. & Nyström, M. & de la Torre-Castro, M. & Jiddawi, N., 2013. "Tracing value chains to understand effects of trade on coral reef fish in Zanzibar, Tanzania," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 246-256.
    33. Hatanaka, Maki, 2010. "Certification, Partnership, and Morality in an Organic Shrimp Network: Rethinking Transnational Alternative Agrifood Networks," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(5), pages 706-716, May.
    34. Kassam, L., 2014. "Aquaculture and food security, poverty alleviation and nutrition in Ghana: Case study prepared for the Aquaculture for Food Security, Poverty Alleviation and Nutrition project," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 40418, April.
    35. Toufique, Kazi Ali & Gregory, Rick, 2008. "Common waters and private lands: Distributional impacts of floodplain aquaculture in Bangladesh," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(6), pages 587-594, December.
    36. repec:bla:devpol:v:28:y:2010:i:3:p:325-358 is not listed on IDEAS
    37. Weirowski, F. & Hall, S.J., 2008. "Public-private partnerships for fisheries and aquaculture: getting started," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 37833, April.
    38. Rosamond L. Naylor & Rebecca J. Goldburg & Jurgenne H. Primavera & Nils Kautsky & Malcolm C. M. Beveridge & Jason Clay & Carl Folke & Jane Lubchenco & Harold Mooney & Max Troell, 2000. "Effect of aquaculture on world fish supplies," Nature, Nature, vol. 405(6790), pages 1017-1024, June.
    39. Allison, E.H., 2011. "Aquaculture, fisheries, poverty and food security," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 39575, April.
    40. Ponte, Stefano, 2008. "Greener than Thou: The Political Economy of Fish Ecolabeling and Its Local Manifestations in South Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(1), pages 159-175, January.
    41. repec:bla:devpol:v:25:y:2007:i:1:p:113-138 is not listed on IDEAS
    42. Thorpe, Andy & Bennett, Elizabeth, 2004. "Market-Driven International Fish Supply Chains: The Case of Nile Perch from Africa's Lake Victoria," International Food and Agribusiness Management Review, International Food and Agribusiness Management Association, vol. 7(4), pages 1-18.
    43. Barbara Ntombi Ngwenya & Ketlhatlogile Keta Mosepele & Lapologang Magole, 2012. "A case for gender equity in governance of the Okavango Delta fisheries in Botswana," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 36, pages 109-122, May.
    44. Chiwaula, L. & Jamu, D. & Chaweza, R. & Nagoli, J., 2012. "The Structure and margins of the Lake Chilwa fisheries in Malawi: a value chain analysis," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 39912, April.
    45. Windle, M.J.S. & Neis, B. & Bornstein, S. & Binkley, M. & Navarro, P., 2008. "Fishing occupational health and safety: A comparison of regulatory regimes and safety outcomes in six countries," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 701-710, July.
    46. Robert Jensen, 2007. "The Digital Provide: Information (Technology), Market Performance, and Welfare in the South Indian Fisheries Sector," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(3), pages 879-924.
    47. Campbell, J. & Whittingham, E. & Townsley, P., 2006. "Responding to coastal poverty: should we be doing things differently or doing different things?," IWMI Books, Reports H039122, International Water Management Institute.
    48. Vo Loc & Simon Bush & Le Sinh & Nguyen Khiem, 2010. "High and low value fish chains in the Mekong Delta: challenges for livelihoods and governance," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 12(6), pages 889-908, December.
    49. Geheb, Kim & Kalloch, Sarah & Medard, Modesta & Nyapendi, Anne-Therese & Lwenya, Carolyne & Kyangwa, Mercy, 2008. "Nile perch and the hungry of Lake Victoria: Gender, status and food in an East African fishery," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 85-98, February.
    50. Toufique, Kazi Ali & Belton, Ben, 2014. "Is Aquaculture Pro-Poor? Empirical Evidence of Impacts on Fish Consumption in Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 609-620.
    51. Bell, Johann D. & Kronen, Mecki & Vunisea, Aliti & Nash, Warwick J. & Keeble, Gregory & Demmke, Andreas & Pontifex, Scott & Andréfouët, Serge, 2009. "Planning the use of fish for food security in the Pacific," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(1), pages 64-76, January.
    52. Perez-Labajos, Carlos, 2008. "Fishing safety policy and research," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 40-45, January.
    53. Carneiro, Gonçalo, 2011. "Marine management for human development: A review of two decades of scholarly evidence," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 351-362, May.
    54. Béné, Christophe & Steel, Elisabeth & Luadia, Billy Kambala & Gordon, Ann, 2009. "Fish as the "bank in the water" - Evidence from chronic-poor communities in Congo," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 108-118, February.
    55. Brummett, Randall E. & Gockowski, James & Pouomogne, Victor & Muir, James, 2011. "Targeting agricultural research and extension for food security and poverty alleviation: A case study of fish farming in Central Cameroon," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 805-814.
    56. Bose, Manik Lal & Dey, Madan Mohan, 2007. "Food and Nutritional Security in Bangladesh: Going beyond Carbohydrate Counts," Agricultural Economics Research Review, Agricultural Economics Research Association (India), vol. 20(2).
    57. Bene, Christophe & Cadren, Muriel & Lantz, Frederic, 2000. "Impact of cultured shrimp industry on wild shrimp fisheries: analysis of price determination mechanisms and market dynamics," Agricultural Economics, Blackwell, vol. 23(1), pages 55-68, June.
    58. Kent, George, 1997. "Fisheries, food security, and the poor," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(5), pages 393-404, October.
    59. Charlotte Tindall & Katrien Holvoet, 2008. "From the Lake to the Plate: Assessing gender vulnerabilities throughout the fisheries chain," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 51(2), pages 205-211, June.
    60. Madan M. Dey & Ferdinand J. Paraguas & Patrick Kambewa & Diemuth E. Pemsl, 2010. "The impact of integrated aquaculture–agriculture on small‐scale farms in Southern Malawi," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 41(1), pages 67-79, January.
    61. Meryl J Williams, 2008. "Why Look at Fisheries through a Gender Lens?," Development, Palgrave Macmillan;Society for International Deveopment, vol. 51(2), pages 180-185, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Béné, Christophe & Lawton, Rebecca & Allison, Edward H., 2010. ""Trade Matters in the Fight Against Poverty": Narratives, Perceptions, and (Lack of) Evidence in the Case of Fish Trade in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 933-954, July.
    2. Allison, E.H., 2011. "Aquaculture, fisheries, poverty and food security," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 39575, April.
    3. Xavier Tezzo & Simon R. Bush & Peter Oosterveer & Ben Belton, 2021. "Food system perspective on fisheries and aquaculture development in Asia," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(1), pages 73-90, February.
    4. Maki Hatanaka, 2014. "McSustainability and McJustice: Certification, Alternative Food and Agriculture, and Social Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(11), pages 1-21, November.
    5. Moses Majid Limuwa & Wales Singini & Trond Storebakken, 2018. "Is Fish Farming an Illusion for Lake Malawi Riparian Communities under Environmental Changes?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-23, May.
    6. Filipski, Mateusz & Belton, Ben, 2018. "Give a Man a Fishpond: Modeling the Impacts of Aquaculture in the Rural Economy," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 205-223.
    7. Louise Teh & Vicky Lam & William Cheung & Dana Miller & Lydia Teh & U. Rashid Sumaila, 2017. "Impact of high seas closure on food security in low-income fish-dependent countries," Chapters, in: Paulo A.L.D. Nunes & Lisa E. Svensson & Anil Markandya (ed.), Handbook on the Economics and Management of Sustainable Oceans, chapter 11, pages 232-262, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Constanza Gonzalez Parrao & Shannon Shisler & Marta Moratti & Cem Yavuz & Arnab Acharya & John Eyers & Birte Snilstveit, 2021. "Aquaculture for improving productivity, income, nutrition and women's empowerment in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A systematic review and meta‐analysis," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(4), December.
    9. Stanford, Richard J. & Wiryawan, Budy & Bengen, Dietriech G. & Febriamansyah, Rudi & Haluan, John, 2014. "Improving livelihoods in fishing communities of West Sumatra: More than just boats and machines," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 16-25.
    10. Marschke, Melissa & Wilkings, Ann, 2014. "Is certification a viable option for small producer fish farmers in the global south? Insights from Vietnam," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(PA), pages 197-206.
    11. Bronnmann, Julia & Smith, Martin D. & Abbott, James & Hay, Clinton J. & Næsje, Tor F., 2020. "Integration of a local fish market in Namibia with the global seafood trade: Implications for fish traders and sustainability," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    12. Shahidur Rashid & Nicholas Minot & Solomon Lemma, 2019. "Does a “Blue Revolution” help the poor? Evidence from Bangladesh," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 50(2), pages 139-150, March.
    13. Béné, Christophe & Belal, Emma & Baba, Malloum Ousman & Ovie, Solomon & Raji, Aminu & Malasha, Isaac & Njaya, Friday & Na Andi, Mamane & Russell, Aaron & Neiland, Arthur, 2009. "Power Struggle, Dispute and Alliance Over Local Resources: Analyzing 'Democratic' Decentralization of Natural Resources through the Lenses of Africa Inland Fisheries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 1935-1950, December.
    14. Te Lintelo, D., 2009. "SΘcuritΘ alimentaire, nutrition et VIH/SIDA dans les pΩcheries africaines: information Θmergente et direction de la recherche: ╔tude documentaire," Monographs, The WorldFish Center, number 38697, April.
    15. Aguilar Ibarra, Alonso & Sánchez Vargas, Armando & Martínez López, Benjamín, 2013. "Economic impacts of climate change on two Mexican coastal fisheries: Implications for food security," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 7, pages 1-38.
    16. Olale, Edward & Henson, Spencer, 2013. "The impact of income diversification among fishing communities in Western Kenya," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 90-99.
    17. Schuhbauer, Anna & Sumaila, U. Rashid, 2016. "Economic viability and small-scale fisheries — A review," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 69-75.
    18. Toufique, Kazi Ali & Belton, Ben, 2014. "Is Aquaculture Pro-Poor? Empirical Evidence of Impacts on Fish Consumption in Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 609-620.
    19. Daykin Harohau & Jessica Blythe & Marcus Sheaves & Amy Diedrich, 2020. "Limits of Tilapia Aquaculture for Rural Livelihoods in Solomon Islands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-14, June.
    20. Akpalu, Wisdom & Vondolia, Godwin K. & Adom, Phillip K. & Peprah, Dorcas Asaah, 2023. "Passive Participation in Illegal Fishing and the Welfare of Fishmongers in a Developing Country," EfD Discussion Paper 23-9, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:79:y:2016:i:c:p:177-196. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/worlddev .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.