The Aquaculture and Economic Development Awareness Strategy for South Africa is a sectoral national strategy applicable for the period 2012-2016. Its main objective is to provide an overarching strategic framework for aquaculture awareness in South Africa as well as to guide other government departments, schools, institutions, funding agencies and private sector on aquaculture awareness in South Africa. Seven Strategic Goals (comprising objectives) are identified in the Strategy as follows: Strategy 1) entails promoting aquaculture through dissemination of information to the public and encouraging transformation and broader participation in the aquaculture sector; Strategy 2) aims to create aquaculture awareness to outline the benefits of aquaculture and encourage communities to get involved in this activity; Strategy 3) aims to create aquaculture awareness to schools within the provinces of South Africa; Strategy 4) provides industry stakeholders with relevant information pertaining to the aquaculture industry; Strategy 5) promotes the aquaculture industry on a national and international level; Strategy 6) aims to strengthen and form partnerships within the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, between other government departments, Non-government organizations and private sector involved in aquaculture awareness; and Strategy 7) intends to create aquaculture awareness in financial institutes and funding agencies. The Strategy also contains sections on its implementation. In particular, it notes that the Minister will be responsible for the approval of indicatives and attendance of international conferences in line with the aquaculture awareness strategy for South Africa. In addition, the Director-General is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the impact of the Strategy and ensure that it is in line with the objectives of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Whereas, the Directorate Aquaculture Technical Services will ensure that all goals for Strategy are implemented. With respect to monitoring and evaluation of the Strategy, it indicates that the Aquaculture Economic sub-unit will be conducting surveys annually in schools, Universities and with the general public on aquaculture awareness. These surveys will be used to monitor and evaluate the progress of aquaculture awareness in South Africa.
South Africa · 2012-01-01