At COP28 in Dubai, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Norwegian government announced a significant development — the initiation of a five-year phase for the EAF-Nansen Programme.
Established in 1975, this collaborative effort involves FAO, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) in Norway, and 32 partner countries in Africa and the Bay of Bengal.
Norway has committed to funding the new phase with a substantial budget of 1 billion NOK (approximately $94 million).
Over the period from 2024 to 2028, the EAF-Nansen Programme aims to intensify efforts to enhance food and nutrition security in partner countries, placing a heightened emphasis on strengthening fisheries management in response to the impacts of climate change.
Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, the Norwegian Minister of International Development, highlighted the critical role of the Nansen Programme in collecting and disseminating ocean knowledge, crucial for fighting climate change and ensuring future food security. Norway’s funding commitment underscores its commitment to sustainable marine environments and livelihoods.
The Programme is dedicated to enhancing fisheries management aligned with the FAO Blue Transformation vision. It will focus on building capacities in fisheries institutions and generating scientific knowledge on marine resources and ecosystems, addressing challenges posed by climate variability and change.
Climate change affects marine ecosystems, influencing nutrient availability, water quality, and fisheries resource distribution. By collecting unique data through surveys with the research vessel Dr. Fridtjof Nansen, the Programme aims to provide tools for fisheries management to mitigate risks and maximize opportunities associated with climate change, ultimately improving food security.
The EAF-Nansen Programme conducts integrated studies on fisheries management and climate change. The new phase will strengthen this crucial work, providing fundamental knowledge for ecosystem-based fisheries management across coastal and ocean areas.
The Programme’s activities extend to providing partner countries with the means to detect changes in fisheries systems, develop interventions for fisheries sustainability, and foster capacity development to transform marine food systems.
Since its inception in 1975, the Programme has collaborated with 58 countries in Africa, Asia, and South America, supporting fisheries research and management. The latest phase aligns with global sustainability goals and ongoing initiatives such as the UN Decade of Ocean Science and FAO’s vision for aquatic food systems, known as Blue Transformation.
