SADCC (Southern African Development Coordination Conference) was established in 1980 by Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Namibia became the tenth member in 1990. The development objectives were mainly to forge links to create a genuine regional mechanism for the development and coordination of socio-economic growth, and mobilization of resources with the ultimate goal of raising the standard of living of the peoples in the region. In August 1992 SADCC was changed to Southern African Development Community, SADC, to better reflect aspirations for economic integration.
Within the SADC organization, which is decentralized, individual countries have been given the responsibility for coordinating specific sectors. Malawi was appointed Sector Coordinator for inland fisheries and aquaculture, while Namibia is responsible for marine fisheries and resources. Fisheries and aquaculture fall within the Agriculture and Natural Resources group. SADC's general policy within this group of sectors seeks to ensure that the management of natural resources helps to improve productivity and increase incomes, while also ensuring that developments do not undermine the diversity and richness of the region's natural resources base.
Natural resources management and utilization have three main dimensions; economic, social, and bio-technological. SADC's programmes and projects are intended to contribute to all three dimensions by assisting in the formulation of sound economic and environmental policies, promoting natural resources-based generation of income, and establishing mechanisms for increased participation of communities and grassroot organizations in the management and protection of these resources.
The overall aim of SADC's fisheries development programme is to promote and expand fish production to attain regional self-sufficiency, increase supplies of animal protein by reducing post-harvest losses, and create employment to increase income. The goal is to increase the standard of living of peoples of the region.
The SADC's Programme of Action states:
The overall aims of fisheries development are valid also for marine and brackishwater aquaculture.
SADC's fishery policy statements reflect also the policies of member countries. The review of national policies and plans, and policy statements (published and unpublished), reveal the following:
The importance of fish as food is increasingly being recognized, even in countries where fish is not a major component of the diet.
The contribution of fish to food security is highlighted.
Most governments do not, however, have an explicit development policy or plans for fisheries and aquaculture.
Where policy statements exist they are mostly linked to agriculture.
Policy statements often refer to fish as a provider of “cheap” protein, as a source of jobs and of foreign exchange earnings, the latter especially for marine fisheries.
The links between national policies and plans and programmes actually implemented are not well established. There is a general need to harmonize policies, plans, programmes/projects and other interventions.
To ensure sustainability of aquaculture development, the close links with policies and plans for the agriculture sector need to be strengthened.
The potential roles of the private sector and of NGOs are not recognized or elaborated in policy statements and development plans. Consequently, mechanisms for consultation with “target groups” are not sufficiently established.
