As we take our longstanding tradition of scientific excellence and partnerships for sustained innovation forward into the next decade, this strategy charts a new course for future research on aquatic food systems in response to the global call to action for transformational change of our food systems. More than ever, we believe robust and applicable scientific knowledge is required to overcome the incumbent institutional, social, cultural, economic and political barriers that keep us from radically realigning efforts to end hunger and malnutrition and meeting the other targets of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

We believe fish and other aquatic foods must occupy a central place in the global agricultural research agenda, which has traditionally focused on land-based crops and livestock. With this strategy, we are poised to expand thinking, multidisciplinary research and cross-sector partnerships with fellow One CGIAR centers and with other national and international partners in favor of a more ambitious, game-changing agenda for agricultural research and innovation that supports implementation of SDGs at both country and global levels. 

Going forward, our work will be guided by our new mission: “to end hunger and advance the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 through science and innovation to transform food, land and water systems with aquatic foods for healthier people and planet.” Our strategy to 2030 provides a guiding framework for our work on transforming sustainable food systems in collaboration with an innovation ecosystem of partners. Using this framework, we will explore, identify and articulate sustainable food system transformation approaches, scenarios and game-changing innovations at the intersection of research, technology, markets, policies and social mobilization across disciplines and sectors. Our research on aquatic food systems, and on the forces that help or hinder transformational change, will guide and support national and global efforts to tackle climate change, protect nature and biodiversity, sustain livelihoods and boost human nutrition and well-being. 

In Part I, our strategy measures the pulse of the fast-changing world around us. It offers “our vision for an inclusive world of healthy, well-nourished people and a sustainable blue planet, now and in the future.” We believe this vision can be realized through our unique proposition on the important but largely overlooked role of aquatic foods in meeting the critical challenges associated with the SDGs, as well as those outlined in the 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy of One CGIAR, the world’s largest agricultural innovation network, to which we belong. 

In Part II, the strategy articulates our transformative agenda for research on aquatic food systems and its focus on three crucially important areas: (1) climate resilience and environmental sustainability, (2) social and economic inclusion, and (3) nutrition and public health. Our shift towards food systems research takes into account all four dimensions of capital (natural, produced, human and social) in food systems, from production through to consumption. Through extensive consultation and assessment of challenges in target geographies and communities, we have built on the areas of work where WorldFish has a strong legacy of impact. We have also canvassed new opportunities based on emerging food system trends.

In Part III, the strategy lays out the path for our own organizational transformation. We recognize that to respond effectively to change and deliver relevant research solutions at scale for sustainable system transformation at all levels, we must be prepared to reinvent ourselves. Additionally, our response to the COVID-19 pandemic had led us to devise a new organizational strategy and business model that reimagines the ways in which we must operate to successfully weather shocks and uncertainties, and thrive in the future. Our focus will be on mobilizing world-class capabilities and resources. This will sharpen the agility and responsiveness of our operations, help us adapt to new ways of working and collaboration, and secure more funding for scientific research on aquatic food systems as well as strengthen our long-term financial sustainability.

WorldFish is the only center in One CGIAR with 45 years of experience in fisheries and aquaculture research in low-and middle-income countries. Through our position within One CGIAR, alongside our noteworthy contribution to SDG 14: Life Below Water, we add particular value to the quest of transforming global food systems toward healthy and sustainable diets that work for people and the planet. We believe that this quest is simply not possible to achieve without the opportunity to examine, quantify and include the contributions of aquatic food systems. Our priority is to better integrate fish and aquatic foods into the global agricultural research agenda and link the latter to the blue economy and ocean space, whose assets such as fisheries, shipping lanes and tourism are worth USD 24 trillion. This task is critical to ensure a full representation of the food system, address the complex links among food, land and water systems, and unlock an ocean of opportunities in an emerging blue economy that must prioritize social inclusion and equity.

As a globally networked organization, are operations are embedded into a larger innovation ecosystem of partners, both within One CGIAR and beyond. We are guided by our values of “Learning, Excellence, Accountability and Diversity.” We remain committed to delivering research of the highest quality, integrity and impact, and to nurturing a diverse constellation of partners for sustained innovation. And we carry this commitment across various disciplines and sectors at both national and international levels.

Our commitments to people and to building a high-performing organizational culture put a premium on the diversity of talents, skills and backgrounds required to deliver our best work. Digital transformation will power new ways of working and collaborating with each other and with partners, as well as our learning, growth and innovation. We have set the bar high for ourselves through our commitment to significantly reduce the carbon footprint and environmental impact of our operations. In addition, we recognize the crucial importance of communicating the results of our scientific discoveries widely and effectively. This guides and supports important decisions—from household to global levels—that affect people’s quality of life and the future of our planet.

The ideas we have set forth here are bold and ambitious. We invite all our research and funding partners, staff and stakeholders within One CGIAR and beyond to embark with us on this exciting new journey of aquatic foods for heathy people and planet. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are proud to present this strategy to the global community.