A specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is working toward food security for all by ensuring regular access to sufficient, high-quality food for active, healthy lives.
Saint Mary's University is engaged in a partnership with FAO through Dr. Tony Charles, Director of SMU's School of the Environment and a professor in the Sobey School of Business.
Dr. Charles has a long history of supporting local communities worldwide in their stewardship activities, protecting the environment while maintaining their livelihoods, and connecting with governments to advance policies that support these grassroots initiatives.
Working with FAO, Dr. Charles created a stewardship database and a framework to assess conservation practices and environmental stewardship among small-scale producers in fishing communities. The impressive range of such stewardship achievements has been published by Dr. Charles in FAO's report Environmental Stewardship by Small-Scale Fisheries.
"Dr. Charles's work on small-scale fisher stewardship, community-based management, and the link between climate change and poverty has been pivotal in removing obstacles faced by small-scale producers," said Dr. Daniela Kalikoski, Fishery Officer and Leader of FAO's Priority Area on Small-Scale Producers' Equitable Access to Resources, and Social Protection in Fisheries. "Saint Mary's University has fostered a unique environment that integrates scientific and local knowledge, offering critical insights for policy creation and governance that emphasize openness, collaboration, and inclusion."
This collaborative effort demonstrates the profound impact that integrating research, local knowledge, and global initiatives can have in empowering local people and their communities worldwide and building a more sustainable and food-secure future.
The Office of Innovation and Community Engagement (OICE) at Saint Mary's University facilitates research partnerships between the University and companies, government departments and community organizations. OICE is the initial point of contact for faculty members and external partners wishing to collaborate. The office assists with finding suitable expertise, contract development and advising on funding opportunities.
This project highlight is from the 2025 OICE Report, which features researchers from Saint Mary's University and their external partners.
