A new 12-month fellowship through the Blue Food Futures Program, an Ocean Decade Action, will support two early career researchers dedicated to understanding the role of blue foods in global food systems transformation.
The Blue Food Futures Program is proud to welcome researchers Aphiwe Moshani and Liliana Sierra Castillo to its inaugural fellowship program. Moshani and Sierra Castillo will contribute to research on advancing blue food solutions for food and nutrition security, climate resilience, and social equity.
“This fellowship is an opportunity to empower early career leaders in the blue food space working in developing countries where there are critical data gaps,” said Josheena Naggea, Blue Food Futures Program Manager. “We’re excited to support Aphiwe and Liliana in their professional journey, and encourage them to share their expertise and drive with the Blue Food Futures community.”
The fellowship aims to strengthen the link between blue food science, policy, and action. Blue Food Futures Fellows receive a 12-month research stipend based at their home institution to support fieldwork and policy engagement. Moshani at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and Sierra Castillo will be based at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama.
Moshani and Sierra Castillo will also receive mentorship from blue food experts, opportunities to present their findings at international policy fora, and integration into a global network of researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.
“Fellows bring a wealth of place-based experience and new perspectives to our research,” said Ling Cao, co-chair of the program’s science committee. “Our goal is to pursue new scientific insights together and build a community that lasts far beyond the fellowship.”
Meet the fellows
Aphiwe Moshani
“As a Blue Food Futures Fellow, I look forward to conducting collaborative research that influences both regional and international policy frameworks around food security and equity in the ocean and coastal environment. With the collective expertise of the Blue Food Futures Program community, I am excited to contribute to advancing policies that foster inclusive and equitable blue food systems on the African continent.”
Moshani is a PhD candidate and researcher based at the University of Cape Town, South Africa dedicated to advancing just and inclusive ocean governance and Blue Economies in the African context. Central to this work is a focus on ocean and coastal conflict stemming from historical and contemporary exclusions. Moshani studies how the legacies of colonialism and an apartheid ocean governance regime have implications for traditional fishers in Richards Bay, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa who face restricted access, criminalization, and displacement. With a strong foundation in ocean and coastal governance, feminist theory, and transdisciplinary research, Moshani explores the possibility of thriving in locally managed marine areas and food sovereignty as pathways toward sustainable, community-driven ocean stewardship. With a passion for contributing toward a redress of systemic inequity, Moshani is committed to producing knowledge, frameworks, and policies that center the needs of women and marginalized coastal communities. As a Blue Food Futures Fellow, she will contribute to research that moves regional and international policy frameworks toward recognizing the complexities and historical context of ocean and coastal conflict in the Blue Economy. Her work will also explore local imaginations and methodologies that support autonomous, self-sustaining blue food systems on the African coastline.
Liliana Sierra Castillo
“I look forward to amplifying the voices of coastal communities that are vital to blue food systems yet deeply affected by migration and displacement. Through collaboration with the Blue Foods Futures Program, I aim to apply social-ecological approaches to develop equitable and just solutions that empower these communities and support sustainable blue food systems.”
Sierra Castillo is an interdisciplinary marine scientist with over 10 years of experience working with coastal communities and small-scale fisheries, focusing on developing equitable and practical solutions. Her work integrates empirical data collection, analysis, and policy development to create just and community-centered solutions. Sierra Castillo specializes in mixed methods research, ethnography, fisheries science, multivariate statistics, and stakeholder facilitation to support effective decision-making. Her current research examines the interconnectedness between small-scale fisheries and aquaculture within the Blue Economy, emphasizing social and justice implications. For her postdoctoral research, she will explore migration dynamics in small-scale fishery communities in Honduras and Puerto Rico, analyzing their social, gendered, and ecological impacts.