The African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE) is partnering with volunteer aid organization Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF) to improve outcomes in disadvantaged communities in Africa through a focus on sustainable aquaculture.
The AAAE is an association of agricultural economists and other professionals with special interest in agricultural economic issues and affairs, working in agriculture and broadly related fields of applied economics, and issues related to policy and improving the productivity of African agriculture, according to the organization’s website. AwF is an independent nonprofit organization that promotes and supports responsible and sustainable aquaculture in the alleviation of poverty around the world.
“AAAE has a vast network of agricultural economists working across Africa. Through this agreement, we will tap into this network to provide applied research support in areas such as impact assessment, value chain analysis, monitoring and evaluation of aquaculture projects,” AAAE President Edward Mabaya said in a press release. “By shining a spotlight on this under-researched topic we hope to produce key research outputs that will shape public policies as well as investment priorities for aquaculture development.”
The two organizations agreed to collaborate at a meeting between the organizations at Cornell University in New York, U.S.A, the result of long-term discussions between AAAE General Secretary Jeffers Miruka and AwF President and Executive Director Roy Palmer.
“Aquaculture is an important agriculture activity for Africa for so many reasons and the opportunity of both organizations collaborating to assist the development of aquaculture in a mature sustainable fashion is clearly of benefit to Africa and the people of Africa,” Palmer said in the release.
The new agreement links both organizations to closer collaboration and will see AwF working towards including economic profiling in its projects designed to measure the outcomes of its work.
“It makes sense to have pre- and post-project economic assessment factored into our projects and programs. Whilst we are confident that our work is improving the nutrition and health within communities and fostering social development, it will be important to have the economic data to support this,” AwF Director Dave Conley said. We believe that by collaborating with like-minded organizations such as AAAE, we will be able to make major contributions to our mission’s main objectives. We have always aimed to be a catalyst for change through supporting responsible and sustainable aquaculture. In the decades to come, aquaculture is one of the main keys which will underpin the future health of all humans by providing the essential nutrients and vitamins currently missing from many diets, and at an affordable price."
