Ahmedabad, Nov 22 : A senior Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) official on Wednesday emphasised the the need for increased blue finance to foster innovation and development in the aquaculture sector. Simon Feunge-Smith, Senior Fishery Officer of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN said this at at the Global Fisheries Conference India 2023 held here. This call to action comes in response to the pressing challenges of climate change and the growing demands for food and nutritional security. Speaking at a technical session titled 'Emerging Challenges and Opportunities in Inland Aquaculture', Feunge-Smith highlighted that by 2030, global aquaculture is projected to supply 59 per cent of the fish consumed by humans. The FAO expert underscored the importance of adopting aquaculture systems with a low carbon footprint and high nutritional value. He stressed that "technological advancements and strategic investments are essential for the sustainable growth of this sector". Over the past 25 years, there has been a significant transformation in the global blue sector. Feunge-Smith pointed out a 37 per cent increase in per capita fish consumption and a 250 per cent rise in aquaculture production. Asia, contributing 89 per cent of global aquaculture production with 82 million tonnes, is at the forefront of this growth. The industry is a major food supplier and a significant employment provider, creating jobs for over 20.5 million people in the primary sector. Feunge-Smith also advocated promoting sustainable practices in small-scale fisheries and aqua-farming. The session provided a detailed analysis of the challenges and opportunities in inland aquaculture, emphasising the need for collaboration and knowledge exchange among experts and stakeholders in the field. The impact of climate change on aquaculture was further elaborated by Amorn Luengnaruemitchai, Managing Director of Manit Genetics, Thailand. He noted the adverse effects of unprecedented rainfall, flooding of culture ponds, droughts, and increased disease incidences. Guerin Martin, Regional Technical Manager of Aquaculture at ADISSEO Asia Pacific Pvt Ltd; Md. Gulam Hussain from Mississippi State University, US, and Rex A. Dunham of Auburn University, US, offered additional insights. /IANS