FAO Hosts Training to Boost Resilience in Small-Scale Fisheries

FAO recently held a regional training course to promote extension services as a foundation for strengthening resilience in small-scale fisheries and aquaculture in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The course, titled Extensionism as a Basis for Strengthening the Resilience of Small-Scale Fisheries and Aquaculture, brought together representatives from Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay. The objective was to exchange experiences, identify gaps and opportunities, and outline a strategic FAO action program to improve climate adaptation and biosafety in the sector.

FAO defines extensionism as a tool that promotes sustainable technologies, improves productivity, increases inclusion and enhances the competitiveness of aquatic food systems. “Extensionism is becoming a key pillar for advancing the Blue Transformation by enabling the adoption of practices that integrate environmental sustainability, food and nutritional security, social equity, and production resilience,” said José Aguilar-Manjarrez, Aquaculture Officer and course organizer, FAO.

The course included a review of successful practices with a focus on climate change adaptation and biosafety under the One Health approach, which links environmental, animal and human health.

“Innovative extension actions in fisheries and aquaculture are designed to build resilience in fishing communities, promote sustainable practices, and improve overall environmental and health conditions,” said Adoniram Sanches, Subregional Coordinator for Mesoamerica, FAO.

The training responds to a 2023 mandate issued by the Commission on Small-Scale Fisheries, Artisanal Fisheries, and Aquaculture of Latin America and the Caribbean (COPPESAALC), which recognized extensionism as essential to sectoral development.

“Amid current challenges such as climate change, pressure on natural resources, and the spread of aquatic diseases, technical extensionism is a valuable strategy. It facilitates direct engagement with producers to understand their context and build collaborative solutions,” said Eduardo Carrasquilla, General Administrator, Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama.

The event also served as a prelude to the upcoming XIX COPPESAALC meeting scheduled for June 2025, where regional strategies for sustainable and resilient development in fisheries and aquaculture will be further defined.