Résumé
Small-scale fisheries and small-scale aquaculture are vital to food and nutrition security, livelihoods, and poverty reduction, particularly in many low- and middle-income countries. Despiteproviding most global fisheries employment and a substantial share of aquaculture production, their contributions are often overlooked in data and policies. Particularly women and marginalizedcommunities often face barriers in accessing resources, engaging in decision-making and benefitting from aquatic foods. To address these challenges, a Science-Policy Lab in Mombasa, Kenya, broughttogether 48 stakeholders from nine African countries. The Lab ensured diverse representation of women, youth, Indigenous people, and small-scale actors. Preparatory community visits informedthe discussions by providing insights into local realities and supporting the subsequent participation of diverse community spokespersons in the Lab. A literature review guided the Lab's focus on theco-development of policy options within three broad areas: (1) improving availability and equitable access to aquatic foods, (2) enhancing their use for nutrition and health, and (3) reducing social andeconomic inequalities in aquatic food systems. A central insight was the recognition of key trade-offs. For example, increasing aquatic food availability through innovation and small-scaleproduction may not necessarily improve consumption among disadvantaged groups, since economicpressures, social and gender norms often lead small-scale producers to sell rather than consume theaquatic foods. Combining production-focused strategies with efforts to ensure equitable access andpromote local dietary use may help to resolve this trade-off. The Lab illustrated how participatory,evidence-informed multi-stakeholder processes can support the analysis of complex food systemtransformation challenges.