Fish Trade for a Better Future program brochure

Abstract

Over the past 5 years, fish processors and traders, along with government leaders, have begun to demand a change in the way Africa trades its fish. In May 2014, the second Conference of African Ministers of Fisheries and Aquaculture (CAMFA) endorsed the African Union Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa, which prioritizes fish trade and aims to promote responsible and equitable fish trade and marketing by significantly harnessing the benefits of Africa's fisheries and aquaculture. In response to this growing demand, the European Union-funded Fish Trade for a Better Future has been established to facilitate the development of fish trade in Africa by focusing on conducting research to generate data that will inform crucial policy decisions. The project aims to improve food security and reduce poverty through intra-regional fish trade in sub-Saharan Africa. Fish Trade for a Better Future is led by WorldFish, an international research organization that harnesses the potential of fisheries and aquaculture to reduce hunger and poverty, in partnership with the African Union Inter-Africa Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA). Regional economic communities (RECs), regional fisheries bodies (RFBs) and national governments in Africa will collaborate in the implementation of Fish Trade for a Better Future by promoting intra-regional trade and providing an enabling environment to make it happen.