Food and Agriculture Organization Showcase Work on Aquatic Inland and Marine Biodiversity in Bali

JAKARTADAILY.ID – 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 research 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 (KKP) under the  Indonesian Seas Large Marine Ecosystem (ISLME) and IFISH projects.

“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”, said Rajendra Aryal, the FAO Representative in Indonesia and Timor Leste.

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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.

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Sustainably managing biodiversity in Indonesia

Working with MMAF,  the FAO ISLME project promotes sustainable fisheries and marine resources management in the Indonesian Seas, an area of over 2.3 million hectares, shared by Indonesia (98 percent) and Timor-Leste (2 percent).

The ISLME region is located in the heart of the biogeographical area of the western Indo-Pacific ocean, which has the richest marine species in the world.  There are 500 species of coral reefs, 2500 species of marine fish, 47 types of mangroves, and 13 species of seagrass.

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.

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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.

The eight supported high-value fisheries in the lines of Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (EAFM) and Harvest Strategy are lobster, mud crab, Blue Swimming Crab, snapper, grouper, lemuru, seaweed, and sea cucumber, which offer the long-term economic potential for national to community-level development when managed and utilized properly.