Blue food systems as nature-based solutions for climate resilience

Despite playing a critical role in food security and livelihood provision, blue foods have been marginalised in food systems agendas and policies. Similarly, the potential of blue foods to act as nature-based solutions to address challenges, such as climate change and biodiversity depletion, has been under-explored.

Funded by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), the UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures (ISF) addressed this gap by exploring how blue foods can function as nature-based solutions that simultaneously deliver food security, livelihood, climate resilience and biodiversity protection outcomes.

The Pacific Region is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and is heavily reliant on blue foods and its supporting ecosystems, for its food and nutrition security. Employing a systems thinking approach, ISF explored the interconnections between blue food activities and nature-based solution outcomes in Fiji.

ISF conducted two case studies:

• mangrove oyster cultivation in Muanaira, which exemplified how ecosystem-based aquaculture can support conservation and livelihoods, with an added co-benefit of supporting climate resilience through the conservation and replanting of mangroves
• seagrass restoration in Dawasamu, which illustrated how ecosystem restoration may provide various direct and indirect livelihood opportunities (e.g. fishing, ecotourism), along with habitat and feeding ground for aquatic species and climate protection.

While global assessments of blue foods provide valuable macro-level insights, our local study captured complementary insights on the experiences and traditional knowledge of small-scale fishing communities. These local insights need to form part of future large-scale deployment of nature-based solutions programs and initiatives.

The systems thinking tools applied in this study, including causal loop diagrams, provided insights on the synergies and trade-offs regarding the food security, livelihood, biodiversity and conservation outcomes of blue food systems. They also pointed towards design interventions to balance productivity, conservation and resilience. This approach moves beyond disciplinary silos (such as fisheries or climate science) to support integrated decision-making. Importantly, it enables the use of participatory methods that capture community insights and perspectives.

ISF Research Director Federico Davila Cisneros said, “This study has shown that marine production can make major contributions to climate resilience, livelihood and conservation."

“Blue food systems investments can be important drivers of climate resilience if they are designed with a systems perspective. This helps manage trade offs and include diverse voices," he said.

As nature-based solutions investments grow in the Pacific, it is vital to ensure that equitable ecological and social outcomes are achieved. Blue foods activities, often rooted in traditional practices and crucial for livelihoods and national economic prosperity, need to adapt to the realities of climate and demographic change in the region.

Funders and researchers need to urgently prioritise holistic approaches that connect marine activities to broader climate and development goals.