Opportunities and challenges for aquaculture in developing countries

Opportunities and challenges for aquaculture in developing countries

April 2017. 25 pages

The interest in aquaculture projects is growing. Considering the specificities of aquaculture and the potential challenges linked to the development of this sector, the Commission’s Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DEVCO), Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the German International Development Agency (GIZ) commissioned this common reference document for use by colleagues in European Union Delegations (EUDs) and in GIZ/AFD country offices. 

The purpose of the document is to highlight the opportunities and the challenges of sustainable aquaculture development in developing countries. This reference document should not be considered as a set of guidelines, but rather as a compendium of established concepts and past experiences useful for those interested in developing, funding or managing aquaculture projects. As will become apparent, there are no simple, universal solutions to developing sustainable aquaculture in all its different forms; this document is intended to outline the fundamentals required when considering possible interventions.

A key process in this document’s preparation was a two-day meeting of aquaculture experts in Brussels over 12–13 September 2016, where the concepts in this reference documents were framed and discussed.