UN Student Program aims to dispel myths and promote facts about aquaculture

A new education initiative spearheaded by the   UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is taking direct aim at the myths surrounding fish farming, arming students with the tools to challenge misinformation and champion sustainability. The Farmers of the Water education toolkit, launched by the FAO’s General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), is part of a wider strategy to foster understanding and public acceptance of aquaculture—an industry often maligned by misinformation by anti-fish farming activists. “For aquaculture to gain social acceptance, public awareness is essential,” said Houssam Hamza, Aquaculture Officer at GFCM. “The education toolkit was designed with a clear mission: to equip the next generation with the knowledge and skills to make informed choices about aquaculture and sustainability,” he said, according to report published by the Global Seafood Alliance. Designed for students aged 5 to 18, the toolkit blends science with interactive, hands-on learning. It explores the environmental, social and economic benefits of aquaculture, showing how farmed aquatic food systems can help ensure food security and support local economies.

“Why? Because the future of aquaculture isn’t just about increasing production—it’s about doing so responsibly, ensuring food security, protecting the environment and engaging communities,” said Hamza. Structured in three parts, the program includes a teacher-focused overview of aquaculture, play-based learning for younger students, and project-based teamwork for teens. It also encourages students to become ambassadors for aquaculture in their communities, reshaping public perception from the ground up. But this is no ordinary classroom exercise. The GFCM has gone beyond traditional teaching methods, installing aquaponics units in select schools to bring fish farming concepts to life. In Lebanon, Egypt, and Tunisia, students are already planting herbs, harvesting produce, and even cooking their own meals using ingredients from school-based aquaculture systems.