National Aquaculture Development Strategy and Action Plan of Bangladesh 2013–2020.

This National Aquaculture Development Strategy and Action Plan for the period 2013–2020 concerns sustainable development of the aquaculture sector in Bangladesh and its sixteen outputs under four objectives are also concerned with related issues such as welfare of the resource-poor people, poverty reduction, sustainable development of rural communities, food security, livelihood security, employment and better nutrition. The Plan was developed on the basis of existing national development plans by the government and stakeholders of the aquaculture sector with the assistance of FAO. It was endorsed by the National Working Committee for the Sustainable Development of Aquaculture Industry in 2013 and approved by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock in 2014. The Plan takes into account the close interaction between aquaculture and many other economic sectors, which includes competition for land, water and other resources but also integration with other uses such as crop and livestock farming and agroforestry. The stated vision for aquaculture development is: "Aquaculture shall contribute to the societal objectives of equitable development and ecological sustainability, a healthy and productive society, and social and ecological resilience.
The Department of Fisheries is the lead agency in the implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan. Mechanisms and arrangements for multi-institutional collaboration that will include government agencies, civil society organizations (including non-governmental organizations and foundations), private industry, and organizations of farmers, input producers and suppliers, traders, and the academic institutions will be designed for implementation of activities to produce the different outputs. The implementation of activities shall be project-based.
The four strategic objectives, are; (a) social (to enhance the health and well-being of the people through the production of nutritious food and the development of productive and secure livelihoods; (b) economic (to stimulate more economic activities in rural communities, create more rural employment opportunities, increase incomes of rural households, and save or earn foreign exchange through import substitution or more export earnings; (c) ecological (to promote the conservation of aquatic biodiversity, enhancement of genetic resources, conservation of natural resources, and ecological resilience); (d) institutional (to establish an enabling environment and develop the capability to effectively manage the sector, provide the support services needed for sustainable and responsible development, and help facilitate an equitable and fair allocation of resources and distribution of benefits). The four objectives are interlinked.
Outputs linked to the social objective include, among other things, development of culture-based fisheries and coastal aquaculture in suitable waterbodies for the landless and for the coastal and marine fishers who are poor, low-input low-cost aquaculture systems, and integrated aquaculture-agriculture and aquaculture-silviculture systems. These outputs will contribute to food security and better nutrition from higher production and diversified production systems, more opportunities for livelihoods in rural areas, especially for poor households, the landless and women-headed households, and the fishers who may be displaced in the future. One of the outputs linked to the economic objective is better access to local and international markets. Ecological objective outputs are- Management programme for fisheries and habitats of freshwater fishes is established; a management programme of inland waterbodies for aquaculture and fisheries use is jointly developed by the ministries with jurisdiction over such bodies and the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock; a conservation programme for genetic resources of indigenous and exotic species is established; spatial planning for aquaculture development with an ecosystem approach; an integrated environmental monitoring system to ensure aquaculture safety and to minimize aquaculture impacts on surrounding ecosystems. Institutional outputs include, among other things, assistance to farmers clusters and associations are assisted (organization and training of members in management and technical skills and in better management practices (BMPs) in compliance with, among others, environmental standards, food safety standards and traceability and development of appropriate credit facilities and insurance schemes for farmers associations and women’s enterprises. activities are specified for each output. Activities also concern alien species and feed for aquaculture.
As for the evaluation of Strategy and Action Plan, key indicators of the achievement of outputs as well as targets are given in Appendix 1. Appendix 2 sets out the Logical framework for the Strategy and Action Plan. A set of technical implementing guidelines for the Fish Feed and Animal Feed Act, 2010 will be developed and made a provision of the Act.