30/08/2018

Pushing mangrove-shrimp industry in Ca Mau in the direction of sustainability and high quality shrimp production

Pushing mangrove-shrimp industry in Ca Mau in the direction of sustainability and high quality shrimp production

Ca Mau, Vietnam - On 22nd August 2018, SNV and worked with People’s Committee in Ca Mau province to organize the “Review the outcomes of Decision No 111/QĐ-UBND and recommendations for national PFES policy on aquaculture” workshop with the attendance of more than 100 participants. The workshop drew the attendance of some high-level key government leaders of Ca Mau province such as Mr. Le Van Su, Vice Chairman of Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee; Mr. Chau Cong Bang, Deputy Director of Ca Mau Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (DARD), Mr. Nguyen Ba Ngai, Deputy Director of Vietnam Administration of Forestry; and SNV representatives including Ms. Alison Rusinow (Country Director of SNV Vietnam), Ms. Nguyen Bich Thuy (MAM Project Manager); representatives of Vietnam Administration of Forestry, Directorate of Fisheries (MARD), Forest management units (FMU), seafood corporations, media agencies and other local shrimp farming households and stakeholders in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

In the recent years, Ca Mau has paid greater attention to the mangrove-shrimp farming according to the international standards. This is the model introduced by the Mangroves and Markets: Scaling up Ecosystem-Based Adaptation in the Mekong Delta (MAM) project, which has been implemented by SNV and IUCN since 2013. This project aims to support mangrove restoration and protection in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam while strengthening the livelihoods and resilience of smallholder shrimp farmers and their families.

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However, being the pioneer in the mangrove-shrimp farming model, there has been some lack of experience in the MAM project implementation in Ca Mau province, especially the Payments for forest environmental services (PFES). In addition, the post larvae shrimp selection, unexpected aquaculture diseases, and climate change effects also directly leave impacts on the mangrove-shrimp productivity. Furthermore, the technical and commercial barrier also causes some challenges in shrimp exports. “In the recent years, SNV and other INGOs have provided great support to Ca Mau province in implementation of development policies to protect the mangrove forests against climate change effects. The main objective of the implementation of Decision No 111 is to push the mangrove-shrimp model in the direction of sustainable development. In the past 2 years, we have seen some good results but also some challenges in terms of procedures, technical issues, and shrimp productivity. The key is to establish the value chains in the implementation of mangrove-shrimp farming model.”, said by Mr. Le Van Su, Vice Chairman of Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee.

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In the upcoming years, Ca Mau will focus on mangrove-shrimp development with great support and collaboration of MAM project and other INGOs to take advantage of the innovative technology, post larva shrimps and so forth to improve the shrimp productivity and protect the environment. “We are trying our best to improve the infrastructure including the dam and irrigation system to improve production. Furthermore, we not only focus on productivity but also quality improvement. To enhance sustainable shrimp production within the mangrove-shrimp system, we should better control the post larva shrimp selection, and pond production as they not only affect the conservation of the mangrove-shrimp farming but also support local decision-maker in sustainable development of coastal area in the Mekong delta”, shared by Mr. Chau Cong Bang – Deputy Director of Ca Mau DARD.

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At the workshop, many participants shared their viewpoints and contributed their ideas on the review of the Decision No.111/QĐ-UBND, PFES and sustainability of mangrove-shrimp farming model in Ca Mau province. According to Mr. Su, based on the proposal and idea contribution in the workshop, Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee will work with MAM project to review the Decision No.111 and provide recommendations for national PFES policy on aquaculture. Ms. Nguyen Bich Thuy, MAM project manager, also shared that: “We highly appreciate the contribution ideas of all participants. In the past few years, MAM project has collaborated with processing companies and government authorities to develop stable market linkages and create an enabling policy environment. We will work with the local authorities at local and national level to support the official implementation of PFES, and provide recommendations for Decision No.111.” Up to now, with project support, 90% of all farmers in Nhung Mien FMB has reached a mangrove cover of above 40% participated in the program; 1,150 farmers in Nhung Mien FMB signed contracts with Minh Phu seafood corporation; and the total PFES payment of Minh Phu to local shrimp farmers according to Decision No.111 has been more than 2 billion VND (~86,000 USD) after two years of implementation.

On this occasion, Mr. Le Van Su and Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee also awarded SNV and MAM project team for the contribution and support to mangrove restoration and protection in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, and strengthening the livelihoods and resilience of smallholder shrimp farmers and their families. Scaling up Mangrove EbA in the Mekong Delta (MAM2) project, funded by Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), has been implemented by SNV and IUCN in coordination with Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee (PPC) since 2013. This project has tried to build capacity for local stakeholders, improve livelihood of mangrove – shrimp farmers on degraded mangroves by promoting shrimp certification and restoration, recommend for policy makers for Payment for Ecosystem Services on Aquaculture, and create enable conditions for accessing climate change fund, REDD+.