Open Letter: GAA, MARD Launch Benchmarking Initiative
December, 2014
The Global Aquaculture Alliance has published an open letter applauding the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) for requiring adherence to the country’s VietGAP standards for good aquaculture practices for Pangasius producers in 2015 and shrimp producers by 2020.
In the letter, GAA announced that it has launched a benchmarking initiative with MARD, whereby each organization will review the other’s standards and audit procedures to explore opportunities for cooperation. This initiative is expected to be completed by early 2015.
GAA envisions VietGAP as a foundation for Vietnamese aquaculture enterprises seeking certification under its Best Aquaculture Practices third-party certification scheme.
