UPSC Prelims 2026Question 38International Relations

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 ?

Options

(a)Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better ocean
(b)Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life
(c)Better coral reefs, better nutrition, better environment and better life
(d)Better estuaries, better nutrition, better environment and better mangrove vegetation

Correct answer: b

Decision rule

Organisational slogans are fixed and generic; an option swapping in a word matching the question's theme — ocean, coral reefs — is the decoy.

Explanation

Correct Answer

(b) Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life

Explanation of the Correct Answer

FAO’s idea of “Four Betters” comes from its Strategic Framework 2022–31.
These Four Betters are:
1. Better production
2. Better nutrition
3. Better environment
4. Better life
At the United Nations Ocean Conference 2025 in France, FAO linked its Blue Transformation agenda with these Four Betters.
FAO stated that aquatic food systems are important for achieving better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, while leaving no one behind. (FAOHome)

Therefore, the correct combination is option (b).

Why Other Options Are Incorrect

Option	Verdict	Explanation
(a) Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better ocean	Incorrect	“Better ocean” is not one of FAO’s Four Betters, though ocean health is relevant to Blue Transformation.
(b) Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life	Correct	This is the exact FAO formulation of the Four Betters.
(c) Better coral reefs, better nutrition, better environment and better life	Incorrect	“Better coral reefs” is not part of FAO’s Four Betters.
(d) Better estuaries, better nutrition, better environment and better mangrove vegetation	Incorrect	“Better estuaries” and “better mangrove vegetation” are not part of the official Four Betters.

Relevant Supplementary Information

FAO’s Four Betters

Four Better	Meaning	Blue Transformation Link
Better production	More efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable production systems	Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture
Better nutrition	Improved access to healthy, safe and nutritious food	Aquatic foods as a source of protein and micronutrients
Better environment	Sustainable use of natural resources and reduced ecological damage	Ocean health, responsible fishing, reduced aquatic ecosystem stress
Better life	Better livelihoods, equity and resilience	Livelihood security for fishing and coastal communities

FAO’s SDG-related framework also states that the Four Betters are better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life, leaving no one behind. (FAOHome)

Blue Transformation: Key Elements

Aspect	Details
Associated organisation	Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Sector focus	Fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic food systems
Core idea	Sustainable expansion and management of aquatic food systems
Main goals	Food security, nutrition, livelihoods and ecosystem sustainability
Linked SDG	Mainly SDG 14: Life Below Water, along with SDG 2 and SDG 1
Important sectors	Sustainable fisheries, sustainable aquaculture, aquatic value chains
Policy approach	Balance food production, livelihood security and ocean conservation

Key Takeaways from the Tables

Point	Explanation
Four Betters are FAO-wide concepts	They are not limited only to oceans or fisheries.
Exact phrase matters	The fourth term is better life, not better ocean.
Blue Transformation applies Four Betters to aquatic food systems	Fisheries and aquaculture are linked with nutrition, production, environment and livelihoods.
Ocean-related terms are distractors	Coral reefs, estuaries, mangroves and oceans are relevant themes, but not part of the official Four Betters.

Point	Explanation
Remember the exact FAO formula	Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life.
“Better ocean” is a distractor	Ocean health matters, but it is not one of FAO’s Four Betters.
Blue Transformation is food-system oriented	It focuses on fisheries, aquaculture, aquatic foods and livelihoods.
FAO’s role is not limited to agriculture on land	It also works on fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic food systems.
Four Betters are broad development goals	They connect production, nutrition, environment and livelihood outcomes.

Context and Current Relevance

UNOC 2025 was held in Nice, France, from 9–13 June 2025, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica. (ocean-climate.org)
FAO used the conference to highlight sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic foods as central to food security and resilient livelihoods.
For prelims, remember the exact formula: Better Production + Better Nutrition + Better Environment + Better Life.

Table: FAO’s Four Betters — Exact Formulation

Four Better	Meaning	Relevance to Blue Transformation
Better production	More efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable production systems	Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture can increase aquatic food production without damaging marine ecosystems
Better nutrition	Improved access to safe, healthy and nutritious food	Fish and aquatic foods provide high-quality protein, omega-3 fatty acids and micronutrients
Better environment	Sustainable use of biodiversity, water, land and ecosystems	Responsible fishing and aquaculture reduce pressure on marine and freshwater ecosystems
Better life	Improved livelihoods, equity and resilience	Supports fishers, aquaculture workers and coastal communities

Table: Blue Transformation — Key Features

Aspect	Details
Associated organisation	Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Broad sector	Fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic food systems
Core idea	Sustainable transformation of aquatic food systems
Main aim	Improve food security, nutrition, livelihoods and environmental sustainability
Important components	Sustainable aquaculture, sustainable fisheries, efficient aquatic value chains
Linked FAO framework	Four Betters
Relevant SDGs	SDG 2, SDG 14, SDG 1, SDG 12, SDG 13
Important beneficiaries	Coastal communities, fishers, small-scale producers, aquaculture workers, consumers
Policy emphasis	Balance production, nutrition, environmental protection and livelihood security

Table: Four Betters and Their Wider FAO Linkages

FAO Four Better	Agriculture Link	Fisheries / Aquaculture Link	Development Outcome
Better production	Sustainable crop and livestock systems	Sustainable capture fisheries and aquaculture	More efficient food systems
Better nutrition	Diverse, safe and affordable diets	Aquatic foods for protein and micronutrients	Improved health and food security
Better environment	Soil, water and biodiversity conservation	Marine ecosystem protection and responsible fishing	Ecological sustainability
Better life	Rural livelihoods and inclusive growth	Livelihood security for fishers and coastal communities	Poverty reduction and resilience

Table: FAO Four Betters vs Common Distractors

Given Term	Part of FAO Four Betters?	Correct Understanding
Better production	Yes	One of the official Four Betters
Better nutrition	Yes	One of the official Four Betters
Better environment	Yes	One of the official Four Betters
Better life	Yes	One of the official Four Betters
Better ocean	No	Relevant to Blue Transformation, but not one of the Four Betters
Better coral reefs	No	Coral reefs are important marine ecosystems, but not part of the FAO formula
Better estuaries	No	Estuaries are important coastal ecosystems, but not part of the Four Betters
Better mangrove vegetation	No	Mangroves are relevant to coastal ecology, but not part of FAO’s Four Betters

Table: Similar International Frameworks and Their Key Phrases

Organisation / Framework	Key Phrase / Concept	Main Focus
FAO Strategic Framework 2022–31	Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, better environment, better life	Agrifood systems transformation
FAO Blue Transformation	Sustainable fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic food systems	Aquatic food systems and resilient livelihoods
UN SDG 14	Life Below Water	Conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources
UN Ocean Conference	Ocean action and SDG 14 implementation	Marine conservation, ocean governance and blue economy
CBD Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework	30 by 30 target	Biodiversity conservation
UNFCCC Paris Agreement	Limit global warming	Climate action
UN Decade of Ocean Science	Science for sustainable ocean management	Ocean science and policy

Table: Similar Prelims-Trap Facts on FAO and Blue Economy

Statement / Theme	Correct Understanding	Common Trap
FAO Four Betters	Better production, better nutrition, better environment, better life	Replacing “better life” with “better ocean”
Blue Transformation	Linked to fisheries, aquaculture and aquatic foods	Treating it as only marine conservation
FAO	Food and Agriculture Organization	Confusing it with UNEP or IMO in ocean-related questions
UNOC	United Nations Ocean Conference	Confusing it with climate COP or biodiversity COP
SDG 14	Life Below Water	Assuming it deals only with fisheries, though it covers broader ocean conservation
Aquatic foods	Important for nutrition and livelihoods	Treating fisheries only as an export sector
Sustainable aquaculture	Part of Blue Transformation	Assuming aquaculture is always environmentally harmful
Blue economy	Economic use of ocean resources with sustainability	Treating it as unrestricted commercial exploitation of oceans

Open this in the study app →