The Role of Fish Farms in Achieving Food Security in Libya (A Study in Economic Geography)

Abstract

The development of the fisheries sector is one of the most important factors in achieving food security in Libya. However, in recent years, fisheries have been exposed to overfishing, which has resulted in a decline in production not only in Libya but also in most Mediterranean countries. Despite the natural resources that Libya possesses to produce quantities of fish through aquaculture in marine and fresh water, the aquaculture sector has not achieved any contribution to either food security or national income. The study reached a number of results, the most prominent of which are: Food security in Libya faces many obstacles, most notably the scarcity of agricultural resources, water scarcity, and the low percentage of arable land. The fish farms that have been established in Libya have varied from freshwater farms such as Ain Kaam Farm in Zliten, to saltwater farms such as the Forwa and Ain Ghazala complex. Fish farming faces major challenges that prevent it from contributing effectively to achieving food security, especially with regard to the shortage of technical personnel in the field of fish farming, as well as the low value of financial allocations.