Rights and representation support justice across aquatic food systems

Hicks, Christina C. and Gephart, Jessica A. and Koehn, J. Zachary and Nakayama, Shinnosuke and Payne, Hanna J. and Allison, Edward H. and Belhbib, Dyhia and Cao, Ling and Cohen, Philippa J. and Fanzo, Jessica and Fluet-Chouinard, Etienne and Gelcich, Stefan and Golden, Christopher D. and Gorospe, Kelvin D. and Isaacs, Moenieba and Kuempel, Caitlin. D. and Lee, Kai N. and MacNeil, M. Aaron and Maire, Eva and Njuki, Jemimah and Rao, Nitya and Sumaila, U. Rashid and Selig, Elizabeth R. and Thilsted, Shakuntala H. and Wabnitz, Colette C. C. and Naylor, Rosamond L. (2022) Rights and representation support justice across aquatic food systems. Nature Food, 3 (10). pp. 851-861. ISSN 2662-1355

Abstract

AbstractInjustices are prevalent in food systems, where the accumulation of vast wealth is possible for a few, yet one in ten people remain hungry. Here, for 194 countries we combine aquatic food production, distribution and consumption data with corresponding national policy documents and, drawing on theories of social justice, explore whether barriers to participation explain unequal distributions of benefits. Using Bayesian models, we find economic and political barriers are associated with lower wealth-based benefits; countries produce and consume less when wealth, formal education and voice and accountability are lacking. In contrast, social barriers are associated with lower welfare-based benefits; aquatic foods are less affordable where gender inequality is greater. Our analyses of policy documents reveal a frequent failure to address political and gender-based barriers. However, policies linked to more just food system outcomes centre principles of human rights, specify inclusive decision-making processes and identify and challenge drivers of injustice.