Asfa Advisory Board Virtual Meeting 13 17 September 2021

This document presents the report of the 2021 ASFA Advisory Board Meeting, which took place 13–17 September 2021. Though conducted virtually, the meeting provided a platform for lively discussions with ideas proposed that will benefit ASFA as it continues its transition to an open information network focused on meeting the needs of aquatic science, fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders. Agreement was reached on a number of key areas for ASFA, including: plans to cover datasets; features and improvements to OpenASFA; changes to the structure of Working Groups and Regional Networks; and how to plan and communicate events in 2022. Notwithstanding the progress made in individual areas of ASFA, it was the overall enthusiasm and expertise of ASFA’s partners that most significantly contributed to the success of the meeting. The FAO ASFA Secretariat would therefore like to thank all ASFA Partners, Collaborating Centres and Associates who participated in the meeting. Supporting papers are available as Annexes.

This document presents the report of the 2022 ASFA Advisory Board Meeting (ABM), which took place virtually from 12 to 14?September, with a final session on the ASFA business model taking place on 23 November. Though ASFA has been in a period of transition since the need for a new business model was identified in 2018, progress has been made in recent years in the areas of technologies, with the launch of OpenASFA and migration of the Subject Vocabulary to AGROVOC, and communications, with working groups now meeting regularly and the ASFA magazine published twice yearly. Despite these improvements, doubt remains as to ASFA’s future with a need to prove the usefulness of the information network in an age of rapidly changing technologies and demands from users for information to be free and quick to access. Discussions on these topics, as well as the financial situation, were held at the 2022 ABM with decisions taken that will help ASFA adopt a new business model. These decisions include approval of a revised partnership agreement, improvements to the ASFA regional networks and working groups as well as support for training, communications and promotional materials that will help ASFA to launch a recruitment drive in 2023 and to re-engage with currently inactive partners.

This catalogue aims to improve the dissemination and outreach of FAO’s knowledge products and overall publishing programme. By providing information on its key publications in every area of FAO’s work, and catering to a range of audiences, it thereby contributes to all organizational outcomes. From statistical analysis to specialized manuals to children’s books, FAO publications cater to a diverse range of audiences. This catalogue presents a selection of FAO’s main publications, produced in 2021 or earlier, ranging from its global reports and general interest publications to numerous specialized titles. In addition to the major themes of agriculture, forestry and fisheries, it also includes thematic sections on climate change, economic and social development, and food safety and nutrition

The 47th bi-annual Meeting of the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA) Advisory Board was hosted by the University of Malaysia Terengganu and took place from 22 to 26 September 2019 in Terengganu, Malaysia. The Meeting was attended by 34 participants from: 21 National ASFA Partners, 1 UN ASFA Partner, 2 International ASFA Partners, 2 Collaborating Centres and the ASFA Publishing Partner. This meeting was a key milestone in gearing the ASFA transition towards a new business model, with many changes already proceeding. Partners showed support for ASFA’s future direction and plans, and committed to contributing their skills, expertise and time as far as their capacities allow. A number of major changes were approved by Partners, including a new Publishing Agreement and new FAO project to administer the ASFA Trust Fund. Overall, the progress made at the meeting ensures ASFA is on track to adopt its new Business Model by the end of its 50th Anniversary year (2021). This contains the Minutes of the meeting and the working documents (Annexes 1-19).

The objective of this Symposium is to identify pathways to strengthen the science and policy interplay in fisheries production, management and trade, based on solid sustainability principles for improved global outcomes on the ground. Ultimately, the debates and conclusions of the symposium will prepare the way for the development of a new vision for the way we perceive and use capture fisheries, outlining how the sector can respond to the complex and rapidly changing challenges facing society, and support the planning process of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

This book explores why Ethiopian kings pursued long-distance diplomatic contacts with Latin Europe in the late Middle Ages. It traces the history of more than a dozen embassies dispatched to the Latin West by the kings of Solomonic Ethiopia, a powerful Christian kingdom in the medieval Horn of Africa. Drawing on sources from Europe, Ethiopia, and Egypt, it examines the Ethiopian kings’ motivations for sending out their missions in the fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries – and argues that a desire to acquire religious treasures and foreign artisans drove this early intercontinental diplomacy. Moreover, the Ethiopian initiation of contacts with the distant Christian sphere of Latin Europe appears to have been intimately connected to a local political agenda of building monumental ecclesiastical architecture in the North-East African highlands, and asserted the Ethiopian rulers’ claim of universal kingship and rightful descent from the biblical king Solomon. Shedding new light on the self-identity of a late medieval African dynasty at the height of its power, this book challenges conventional narratives of African-European encounters on the eve of the so-called ‘Age of Exploration'.

The 2020 edition of The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture has a particular focus on sustainability. This reflects a number of specific considerations. First, 2020 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (the Code). Second, several Sustainable Development Goal indicators mature in 2020. Third, FAO hosted the International Symposium on Fisheries Sustainability in late 2019, and fourth, 2020 sees the finalization of specific FAO guidelines on sustainable aquaculture growth, and on social sustainability along value chains. While Part 1 retains the format of previous editions, the structure of the rest of the publication has been revised. Part 2 opens with a special section marking the twenty fifth anniversary of the Code. It also focuses on issues coming to the fore, in particular, those related to Sustainable Development Goal 14 and its indicators for which FAO is the “custodian” agency. In addition, Part 2 covers various aspects of fisheries and aquaculture sustainability. The topics discussed range widely, from data and information systems to ocean pollution, product legality, user rights and climate change adaptation. Part 3 now forms the final part of the publication, covering projections and emerging issues such as new technologies and aquaculture biosecurity. It concludes by outlining steps towards a new vision for capture fisheries. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture aims to provide objective, reliable and up-to-date information to a wide audience – policymakers, managers, scientists, stakeholders and indeed everyone interested in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

Children are the foundation of the United States, and supporting them is a key component of building a successful future. However, millions of children face health inequities that compromise their development, well-being, and long-term outcomes, despite substantial scientific evidence about how those adversities contribute to poor health. Advancements in neurobiological and socio-behavioral science show that critical biological systems develop in the prenatal through early childhood periods, and neurobiological development is extremely responsive to environmental influences during these stages. Consequently, social, economic, cultural, and environmental factors significantly affect a child's health ecosystem and ability to thrive throughout adulthood. Vibrant and Healthy Kids: Aligning Science, Practice, and Policy to Advance Health Equity builds upon and updates research from Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity (2017) and From Neurons to Neighborhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development (2000). This report provides a brief overview of stressors that affect childhood development and health, a framework for applying current brain and development science to the real world, a roadmap for implementing tailored interventions, and recommendations about improving systems to better align with our understanding of the significant impact of health equity.