The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the cultivation of brackish shrimps, and farmers, companies, and local governments are seeking sustainable and effective solutions for this sector. To address this, the Directorate of Fisheries held a forum in Sóc Trăng on June 16, which focused on technical solutions and development management in brackish shrimp farming.
The forum was attended by shrimp farmers in the Mekong Delta, aquaculture-related companies, and international organizations such as GIZ and WWF Vietnam. The discussions centered on significant contents for the development of the brackish shrimp sector after the pandemic.
Prompt Recommendations and Quality Assurance
To achieve the target of sustainable and effective shrimp farming, the Directorate of Fisheries requested local authorities to follow the weather forecasts and provide prompt recommendations to farmers. Companies and shrimp farmers should apply schemes such as VietGAP, GlobalGAP, and ASC to improve their product value without using prohibited or chemical substances in cultivation.
Furthermore, intermediates should be reduced to cut down on production costs, and product quality should be improved. Ngô Tiến Chương, a representative of GIZ, emphasized that global consumers are paying more attention to organic products and traceability. Thus, innovation in shrimp farming must be changed from thinking to acting.
The Role of Technology and Innovation
GIZ has been implementing projects in aquaculture that include technology appliances and innovation in shrimp farming. For example, the model for climate change adaptation has helped improve the value chain of shrimp, and the project of improving the post-larvae quality in Vietnam has been beneficial. According to Chương, technology and innovation can provide effective and sustainable solutions to brackish shrimp farming after the pandemic.
