Medidas de Gestao das Pescarias Marinhas e Aquicultura 2019 The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2018 | Page 131

THE STATE OF WORLD FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 2018
BOX 10
FISH IN THE FOOD SYSTEMS OF PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES
challenged by population growth and urbanization,
shortages of arable land, and cheap, low-quality food
imports from burgeoning global trade, with culture,
choice and politics also having an influence.
By many accounts, the Pacific Island countries
require substantial change in their food systems in
order to meet the food and nutrition security needs of
their people. Per capita agricultural production is
declining, and imports of less nutritionally rewarding
food are increasing. Many Pacific Island countries are
affected by the triple burden of malnutrition:
undernutrition, nutrient deficiency and overweight or
obesity. The resulting rise of non-communicable
diseases (NCDs) such as childhood stunting and
anemia has major implications for economic growth,
aid policy and development. An estimated 75 percent
A food system is the set of interacting activities and
outcomes relating to the production, processing, trade
and consumption of food. In addition to these four
aspects, considered the pillars of the food system,
environmental change and social drivers of
consumption (the food environment) must also be
considered in policy interventions. Food systems are
usually complex, operate at many scales and have
very different outcomes in terms of wealth creation and
public health.
External drivers of change, both physical and social,
affect the production and consumption of food in Pacific
Island countries (Figure 36). Among the physical drivers,
climate change has been recognized as a key concern
and is expected to exacerbate predicted shortfalls in
coastal fisheries production. Nutritional security is further
FIGURE 36
DRIVERS OF CHANGE IN PACIFIC ISLAND FOOD SYSTEMS
Production
Growing
Fishing
Processing
Canning
Freezing
Storage
Distribution
Transporting
Marketing
Retailing
Exchange
Outcomes
Nutritional and food security,
environment, health, social
SOURCE: N.L. Andrew et al., unpublished
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The Pacific food system
Food environment
Access, choice, safety,
preference, allocation
Consumption
Governed by the food
environment