Bridging protein gaps with terrestrial animal-sourced foods and aquatic foods in low-and middle-income countries
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), animal-sourced foods and aquatic foods (ASF) are indispensable for growth and overall human health, where they directly contribute to reduced child stunting and improved cognitive outcomes while serving as multifunctional assets that bolster rural income, food security and socioeconomic resilience. In part due to historically low consumption of ASF, micronutrient and protein gaps persist in LMICs and constrain overall development. While high-income countries are increasingly promoting moderate consumption of ASF and the uptake of alternative proteins to support climate mitigation and broader sustainability goals, demand for ASF in LMICs continues to rise rapidly due to population growth, urbanization, rising incomes, and the needs to fill nutrition gaps. This growing demand for ASF in LMICs is severely constrained by supply-side bottlenecks, including low productivity, post-production losses resulting from the perishability of ASF, and inadequate trade systems. These constraints make ASF unaffordable for many consumers and result in the disproportionate consumption of these nutrient-rich foods by wealthier households. Food system transitions must adopt context-specific strategies and a justice-oriented framework that balances reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with the fundamental right to adequate, nutrient-dense diets for vulnerable populations.
Institutions: WorldFish, International Livestock Research Institute
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7217335791
FWCI:
Cites:
Cited by:
Related to: