Food Security, Safety and Certification

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Food safety is a key concern for international trade in fish products. The constantly changing regulatory environment and safety requirements of importing countries pose a special challenge to small-scale aquaculture producers.

The programme assists members to assure the safety and quality of aquaculture products through the adoption of science-based better management practices. Policy issues concerning aquaculture certification and activities in market access are also addressed.

The programme focuses on assisting small-scale farmers to adapt to the changing trade and safety environment. Cluster-based management approaches and formation of farmer societies are promoted as practical mechanisms for implementation of better management practices.

Key activities

Evaluation of commodity-specific better management practices for meeting domestic and international food safety standards.
Facilitating establishment of national residue testing and monitoring programmes and sharing of information amongst member countries.
Improving access to markets by small-scale farmers.
Improving market development for low-cost aquaculture commodities.
Address biosecurity and associated human health issues regarding the consumption of fish and processed products.
Development of farmer groups and cluster-based certification concepts and methodologies.

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Subject tags

A collection of subject tags relating to technical matters.

In this collection

Aquaculture certification and market access: Opportunity or bottleneck for small scale farmers?

C.V. Mohan presents on aquaculture certification and market access and the implications for small-scale farmers.

Fair trade certification: Enabling mechanism for small scale farmer groups

Sureel Singh presents on Fair trade as an enabling mechanism for small-scale farmers in India.

Role of industry in scaling up: Certification bodies

Ken Corpron presents on the role of certification in scaling up the national programme on better management practices for shrimp aquaculture in India.

NACA Newsletter, Volume XXVI, No. 3, July-September 2011

In this issue:

22nd Governing Council Meeting and a new Director General. NACA receives the Margarita Lizárraga Medal. NACA receives Gold Medal Award from the Asian Fisheries Society. Special address by Dr E.G. Silas at the inaugural session of the 22nd Governing Council Meeting 9-12 May, Kochi, India. Striped catfish farming in the Mekong Delta: A tumultuous path to a global success. Sign up for the NACA Email Newsletter. Diseases in Asian Aquaculture VIII: Registration and abstract submission open. Food safety and biosecurity. Ramping up adoption of catfish BMPs. Scaling up BMPs: A national workshop. 2nd Aquaclimate project meeting.

Supporting and demonstrating small scale shrimp farmer group to access international market through certification

This project was conducted to demonstrate small scale shrimp farmer group access to international markets through certification schemes. This project proved that small-scale farmers organised into groups, can improve their technical capacities, and achieve access to markets. This achievement was the result of strong partnerships with producers, private sector and government agencies assisting to develop a sustainable business model for small scale aquaculture. Cost of compliance was found to be a significant barrier to entry.