FAO, EU launch NAVAC to fight malnutrition
Blue Transformation Drive to Aid Africa, Latin America
Rome: Access to safe and nutritious aquatic foods for vulnerable populations in Africa and Latin America is set to expand under a new €20 million initiative launched today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Union (EU). The project also aims to strengthen local economies through innovation and sustainable growth in aquatic food value chains.
Titled New Aquatic Food Value Chains for Sustainable Healthy Diets in Fragile Contexts (NAVAC), the five-year initiative will run from 2025 to 2030 in Chad, Colombia, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania and South Sudan. It is funded by a €20 million contribution from the European Union and an initial US$500,000 from FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme.
“The main aim of NAVAC is to expand the supply of sustainable, affordable, safe and nutritious aquatic foods and ensure that it reaches nutritionally vulnerable populations while at the same time providing economic benefits to local communities through Blue Transformation innovations in aquatic food value chains,” said Godfrey Magwenzi, Deputy Director-General of FAO.
Aquatic foods are a vital but often underutilised source of high-quality protein and essential micronutrients that help combat malnutrition, particularly among children and pregnant or lactating women. They are also linked to a reduced risk of non-communicable diseases. Despite these advantages, many national food security and nutrition strategies still overlook the potential of aquatic resources.
NAVAC supports FAO’s Four Betters — Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life — under the Organization’s commitment to leave no one behind. It also advances FAO’s Blue Transformation, a strategic roadmap to make aquatic food systems more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.
“NAVAC promotes innovative and integrated approaches to value chain development, from ‘net to plate’, ensuring that interventions advance food security and nutrition outcomes, strengthen livelihoods and enhance environmental sustainability,” said Annette Schneegans, Deputy Permanent Representative of the European Union to FAO and Minister Counsellor. “It reflects the European Union’s commitment to the Global Gateway strategy,” she added.
The EU’s Global Gateway initiative addresses global challenges such as climate change, health system strengthening and the competitiveness and resilience of supply chains, reinforcing sustainable development worldwide.
FAO will implement NAVAC in collaboration with the Technical University of Denmark. The project will begin by analysing aquatic food value chains in participating countries to identify development opportunities, knowledge gaps and areas for improvement. These findings will guide upgrading strategies designed to boost the supply of healthy aquatic foods to those who need them most.
Working with national partners, FAO and the Technical University of Denmark will develop new and enhance existing aquatic food value chains to fight both acute and chronic malnutrition. The project will also explore advanced biotechnologies and innovative product development methods to ensure that nutritious aquatic foods reach vulnerable populations more efficiently and sustainably.
NAVAC builds upon the achievements of FISH4ACP — a partnership between FAO, the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States — which successfully enhanced fisheries and aquaculture value chains across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Drawing on that experience, NAVAC seeks to further demonstrate how sustainable aquatic food systems can promote food and nutrition security, economic prosperity and job creation in fragile contexts.
– global bihari bureau
