This Regional Aquaculture Strategy and Action Plan is a 10'year multilateral sectoral document aiming at (i) increasing the contribution by aquaculture to local, national, and regional economic growth and trade by creating a sustainable, competitive, and diversified aquaculture sector in the region; (ii) developing aquaculture in SADC Member States while simultaneously safe guarding the ecological integrity of aquatic ecosystems, conserving common genetic resources, and supporting the maintenance of regional aquatic biosecurity; (iii) advancing the development of cross border value chains that better enable the utilization of aquatic and human resources within the region. These goals serve to better achieve by 2025 the SADC Vision of becoming a leader of sustainably produced aquaculture products in Africa that contribute significantly towards economic growth, food security, poverty alleviation, and job creation. The Strategy set out the following main objectives (i) increase aquaculture production and investment in the production of edible and non-edible products by commercial and small-holder aquaculture subsectors; (ii) transform small-holder/community-based aquaculture into SMME; (iii) promote the responsible, equitable and sustainable development of aquaculture to improve food, income, and nutrition security; (iv) improve market access, supply chains, and aquaculture product diversification; (v) define the resilience of aquaculture to climate change and develop mitigating measures; (vi) establish cooperative institutional frameworks for effective governance, to create centers for collaborative research and implement best management practices for aquaculture; (vii) mainstream aquaculture into the economic development agendas; (viii) mainstream cross-cutting issues in the aquaculture value chain. To increase and improve aquaculture production it is deemed necessary to (i) identify suitable sites and establish aquaculture development zones for accelerated growth; (ii) develop and implement SMART aquaculture extension services, including market orientation; (iii) endorse and apply standards and norms on aquatic animal health as recommended in the SADC Biosecurity Strategy; (iv) strengthen information systems and disseminate bio-security, disease prevention, and control measures. In the field of food security and healthy nutrition, SADC Member States recognize aquaculture as an important food production sector and the need to advance commercial aquaculture and transform small-scale, community-based aquaculture rapidly throughout the region. This can be achieved by (i) promoting fish consumption; (ii) promoting the adoption of integrated, commercial, small-scale aquaculture as a means of increasing rural productivity and food security; (iii) training smallholder fish farmers in food safety standards; (iv) complying with international sanitary requirements and safety of fish products; (v) promoting eco-labeling of aquaculture products as a trade-enhancing mechanism; (vi) establishing regional reference laboratories to meet CODEX norms; (vii) developing and implementing traceability guidelines and promoting certification schemes. The environmental protection in the aquaculture development includes (i) establishing a regional Aquaculture Climate Change Working Group; (ii) assessing international climate change adaptation and mitigation measures for aquaculture and adapting them for the SADC region; (iii) developing regional BMPs, including water quality management, for different forms of aquaculture. For an inclusive economic and social growth, the aquaculture operations need to (i) promote collaboration between private and public sectors and incentivize private sector investment; (ii) develop regionally competitive fiscal incentives to promote investment; (iii) develop policies and mechanisms that facilitate access to finance and other productive resources including secured land, tenure systems and property rights; (iv) promote best management practices to improve post-harvest processes, value addition and quality assurance; (v) expand domestic markets for fish, including the growing urban demand; (vi) establish functional linkages between farmers, extension service and research; (vii) train women and vulnerable groups in aquaculture technologies and fish processing; (vii) build capacity of all actors in the value chain, particularly women. As for Governance, the SADC Committee of Ministers of Environment and Natural Resources Management, and of Agriculture and Food Security will review, approve and oversee implementation of the Strategy. These Committees of Ministers will report to SADC Council annually or biennially. The SADC Aquaculture Working Group will be responsible for coordinating the implementation of the Strategy.
2016-02-28