National Aquaculture Trade Development Strategy and Action Plan 2020 - 2024.

This National Aquaculture Trade Development Strategy is a nationwide sectoral document aiming at contributing to the trade and market development of fish and fishery products through enhanced aquaculture and fisheries production and productivity for socio-economic development, assuming that the quality of fish and fishery products shall contribute to increased fish exports while ensuring national food and nutritional security. The specific objectives outlined cover thematic areas including (i) sustainable fish production and productivity; (ii) export market access and diversification; (iii) value addition; (iv) investments in the aquaculture and capture fisheries value chain; (v) research and development; (vi) compliance to standards and certification of fish and fishery products. The Strategy covers both aquaculture and fisheries but with a lot of focus on aquaculture identifying pertinent areas that will help develop the sub-sector including training and capacity building, infrastructure development, aquatic biosecurity, technical regulations, and testing. The Strategy also takes into account crosscutting issues such as youth and gender inclusiveness, HIV/AIDS, environmental safety and protection, child labor laws, and disability.
To increase sustainable fish production and productivity of the aquaculture and capture fisheries sub-sector, the strategies to be pursued are (i) diversify farmed-fish species; (ii) promote access to quality fish seed; (iii) promote local feed production amongst small-scale farmers.
To guarantee the quality of fish and fish products to be traded, it is necessary to (i) promote food safety in the aquaculture and fisheries value chain by complying with market requirements; and (ii) enhance disease surveillance in the aquaculture and fisheries value chain.
Environmental management is essential for ensuring equitable and profitable fisheries and aquaculture trade in Zambia. For this reason the Strategy includes some measures directed to protect the environment, such as (i) sustainable development of interlinked ecosystems and management of the aquaculture sector in a way that does not threaten the wider ecosystem by controlling and regulating aquaculture development to minimize and possibly prevent pollution, disruption of habitats and exploitation of natural resources; (ii) guarantee Environmental Assessment (EA) to ensure environmental sustainability since it helps in recognizing key impacts in the development of the supply chain, surrounding environment, water management and project site; (iii) promotion of sustainable exploitation of fisheries and good aquaculture practices.
To enhance an inclusive social and economic growth, the document includes the following (i) increasing women farmers entered into aquaculture production by reducing the main barriers to entry and success can be a way out of poverty; (ii) removing all barriers that exclude persons with disabilities from participating in this sub-sector; (iii) facilitating access to finance to support small-scale farmers; (iv) enhancing efficiency in domestic fish markets; (v) promoting development of market infrastructure; (vi) improving access to regional and international markets; (vii) promoting and increasing investments in the aquaculture and capture fisheries value chain.
As for Governance, the MFL and the MCTI are the lead Government institution responsible for coordination, implementation and administration of the National Aquaculture Trade Development Strategy, in coordination with other key implementing Ministries and Agencies. The other institutions key in the implementation of the Strategy include the Private Sector through umbrella associations. Mobilization and allocation of resources for the implementation of the Strategy.