UPSC Prelims 2026 Q38: FAO 'Four Betters' and Blue Transformation
At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated its leading voice on marine and ocean issues, especially on sustainable fisheries and aquaculture for resilient livelihood and "Blue Transformation". Which of the following combinations about the "Four Betters" proposed by FAO for "Blue Transformation" is correct?
- Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better ocean
- Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life
- Better coral reefs, better nutrition, better environment and better life
- Better estuaries, better nutrition, better environment and better mangrove vegetation
Answer: (b) Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life
Statement-wise explanation
- a: incorrect — This option has three of FAO's Four Betters right but swaps the fourth, 'better life', for 'better ocean'. The Four Betters come from FAO's Strategic Framework 2022–31. They cover every food and agriculture sector, not just marine ones, so there is no 'better ocean' among them. Ocean and marine ecosystems fall under 'better environment'.
- b: correct — FAO's UNOC 2025 series says Blue Transformation makes aquatic food systems central to achieving the Four Betters: 'better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life – leaving no one behind'. These are the four aspirations of FAO's Strategic Framework 2022–31. Blue Transformation itself is a Programme Priority Area under 'better production'.
- c: incorrect — 'Better coral reefs' is not one of the Four Betters. The framework is written at the level of whole food systems: production, nutrition, environment and life. It does not name single ecosystems. Coral reef protection would fall under 'better environment', and the option leaves out 'better production'.
- d: incorrect — 'Better estuaries' and 'better mangrove vegetation' are not part of FAO's framework. Like coral reefs, these are specific coastal ecosystems that sit under the broader 'better environment' goal. The option also drops both 'better production' and 'better life'.
How to eliminate
Every option contains 'better nutrition' and 'better environment', so those two settle nothing. FAO is the UN's food and agriculture agency, so its framework will be built around food systems: producing food, nourishing people, protecting the environment and improving lives. Options with 'better coral reefs', 'better estuaries' or 'better mangrove vegetation' name single ecosystems. Those are subsets of 'environment' and would duplicate it, so you can drop the last two options. That leaves the 'better ocean' option and the 'better production … better life' option. 'Better ocean' is also just a part of 'environment', and an agency for both farming and fisheries would not put a marine-only goal in its top-level framework. The production-and-life option also follows the pattern of the SDGs' social, economic and environmental pillars. Fact to remember: FAO's Four Betters are Production, Nutrition, Environment, Life (Strategic Framework 2022–31).
Know more
FAO Strategic Framework 2022–31 and the Four Betters
FAO's Strategic Framework 2022–31 supports the 2030 Agenda by changing agrifood systems so they are more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. It is built around four aspirations, the Four Betters, with the aim of 'leaving no one behind'.
| Better | FAO's aim |
|---|---|
| Better production | Sustainable consumption and production through efficient, inclusive supply chains |
| Better nutrition | End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition in all its forms |
| Better environment | Protect, restore and sustainably use terrestrial and marine ecosystems; combat climate change |
| Better life | Inclusive economic growth by reducing inequalities (urban/rural, rich/poor countries, men/women) |
The framework has 20 Programme Priority Areas (PPAs), five under each Better. It uses four cross-cutting accelerators: technology, innovation, data and complements (governance, human capital, institutions). It is directly linked to SDG 1, SDG 2 and SDG 10.
Blue Transformation is a PPA under better production. The idea came out of the 34th session of FAO's Committee on Fisheries (COFI) in February 2021. It is set out in the Blue Transformation Roadmap 2022–2030, which has three global objectives:
- intensify and expand sustainable aquaculture
- manage all fisheries effectively
- upgrade aquatic food value chains
Data FAO highlighted at UNOC 2025: 2,570 marine fish stocks were assessed. 64.5% are fished within biologically sustainable levels, and these stocks supply about 77% of the fish volume available for human consumption. Small-scale fisheries provide over 90% of employment in capture fisheries. 2025 was also FAO's 80th anniversary and 30 years since the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (1995).
UNOC3 was held in Nice, 9–13 June 2025, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica. Its outcome is the Nice Ocean Action Plan, which focuses on SDG 14 (Life Below Water).
In the news
The third UN Ocean Conference was held in Nice, France, in June 2025. FAO took part in over 80 events there and promoted Blue Transformation and the Four Betters. The year was also FAO's 80th anniversary and 30 years since the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- Undernourishment: FAO's 'better nutrition' aspiration targets undernourishment, and seeing that goal helps you tell real Four Betters apart from ecosystem-specific decoys like coral reefs or mangroves.
- Hidden hunger: Aquatic foods supply micronutrients that fight hidden hunger, which is why 'better nutrition' shows up in every option of FAO's Blue Transformation framing.