RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CONSULTATION AND THE AGREED FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS

63. Following the final discussion session, the Expert Consultation adopted the following recommendations.

64. There is a need for a consultative follow up process after the Expert Consultation.

65. This process should initially involve finalizing the report of the Expert Consultation, including revision of the working group reports, taking account of the issues raised during plenary discussions and particularly to ensure conformity and links between objectives, on- and off-farm operating principles and GLIAs.

66. The process should then bring together practical examples on GMPs and identify mechanisms to support their implementation. The following are recommended:

i) Further identification of GMPs and GLIAs to implement operating principles based on case studies and other material by the WB/NACA/WWF/FAO consortium;

ii) Estimation of qualitative and quantitative costs and benefits of implementation of GMPs/operating principles. Financial and economic analyses of best compared to worst practices were recommended; the analyses would take into account the applicability of GMPs at different levels from generic to farm levels;

iii) Identification of performance criteria to monitor the effectiveness of operating principles, GMPs and GLIAs, taking into account the need for cost-effective monitoring based on a limited number of key indicators;

iv) Special attention to identification of GMPs and GLIAs for “retrofitting” of large numbers of existing farms and mobilization of required technical and financial support;

v) FAO and other agencies should produce and share information on development and implementation of GMPs and GLIAs;

vi) The World Bank/NACA/WWF/FAO Consortium is requested to take responsibility for collating information on management practices as identified above, making further extensive use of the existing case materials from the Consortium work and other relevant sources.

vii) In the process of developing the GMPs documentation recommended by the Expert Consultation, linkage and exchange of experiences with farmers associations, governments, academic and research institutions, professional associations, non-government organizations and other organizations with experience and insight is strongly encouraged.

68. The Expert Consultation considered that two issues in particular have to be addressed in the process of further development and implementation of GMPs: (a) that farmers associations have a particularly important role in development and implementation of GMPs, particularly for small-scale farmers; and (b) dialogue and co-operation between farmers associations, government organizations, seafood export associations, and other stakeholders is required in the development and implementation of GMPs. In this regard, the Expert Consultation made the following recommendations:

i) Preparation of a review of farmers associations, identifying the factors for success, to provide practical guidance on development and operation of successful farmers associations;

ii) Promotion of meetings of farmers associations to review and develop GMPs in co-operation with relevant government agencies, where desirable;

iii) Promotion of dialogue and co-operation between farmers associations, government organizations, seafood export associations and other stakeholders in development and implementation of GMPs;

iv) More effective networking among shrimp farmers associations is required, and a regional shrimp farmers network may be particularly useful in Asia. The Expert Consultation requested NACA to facilitate a meeting of shrimp farmers associations in Asia. The agenda should be driven by the farmers associations;

i) Preparation of a review that will bring together experiences in success and failure in management of farm clusters and nucleus estates. Such a document can provide guidelines on how such nucleus estates might work best;

ii) Preparation of an evaluation of the potential use of the operating principles as basis for investment and buyer screens, providing an incentive for investments in farms operating according to good management practices;

iii) Elaboration of best practices for government-farmer consultation and co-operation at various levels (i.e. central, provincial and local levels) in the development and implementation of GMPs and GLIAs;

iv) Financial and technical assistance be directed to support development and implementation of GMPs and GLIAs, with special attention to small-scale farmers and farmers associations;

v) Further evaluation of existing Codes of Conduct and implementation plans be carried out to assess their universal application.