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Aquaculture as a household, community and agribusiness-based activity to supply human food and other products and contribute to the alleviation of poverty is explored in this overview. The multiple natures of poverty and the concepts of escaping from and slipping into poverty are explored with reference to aquaculture contexts. Aquaculture as a driver for development is reviewed and found to contribute to poverty alleviation in both transformative and incremental modes and at various scales.

Public and private sectors, including non-governmental agencies are all involved in provision of aquaculture services, although roles and responsibilities differ. Growth in aquaculture over the past 10 years, under the influence of a range of global drivers, has changed not only the nature of services required but also the way in which these services are delivered. In less-developed and newly emerging aquaculture countries, there are still considerable gaps in services, particularly in rural areas.

A global consensus has been reached that climate change is a reality and that it will impact on food production systems, among others, in diverse manifestations. We will in the very foreseeable future move into an era where consumer consciousness will demand that farm foods of every form, when they reach the table, should have a minimal green house gas emission level; the price and demand will be determined by such a factor.

How do we ensure that the benefits from aquaculture growth are pro-poor and gender equitable? In science, some gender-disaggregated statistics are collected by the Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators programme. Akin to farming and fishing, aquaculture is usually assumed to be largely the domain of men. Minimal progress has been made in addressing gender issues in aquaculture, even though some researchers, activists and development agencies are recognising and raising the profile of the issues.

An essential element for the ecosystem approach to aquaculture is the use of virtual technology and decision-support tools, particularly if developing nations are to promote the key elements of aquaculture sustainability. We provide an overview of current and emerging issues and trends related to this topic over the past decade, an assessment of progress with regard to the expectations and commitments expressed in the Bangkok Declaration and conclude with some thoughts for the future.