Ghana – Impacts Through Local Codes of Practice

In Ghana, my work focuses on creating models for how aquaculture improvements can be scaled beyond individual farms. Ghana is one of the fastest-growing aquaculture producers in Africa and the third largest on the continent. Its dynamic private sector, growing population, and stable democracy make it a fertile ground to test new models for sustainable food systems.

Yet, the sector also faces challenges — from fish health and feed sustainability to environmental management and food safety. Certification alone was not a full solution. Most fish produced in Ghana are sold locally, and many small and medium farms operate outside the scope of export-oriented standards. What was needed was a nationally relevant framework that could both drive improvements across the industry and prepare producers for future global opportunities.

That’s how the Code of Good Practice (CoGP) for aquaculture emerged — a country-wide initiative developed with the Chamber of Aquaculture Ghana, in dialogue with government agencies, development partners, and local producers. The CoGP builds upon international standards but translates them into Ghana’s context, making them practical, measurable, and achievable for the country’s producers. It’s designed not just as a technical guide, but as a policy and coordination tool — one that can strengthen national food safety systems, attract investment, and position Ghana as a trusted and responsible aquaculture nation.

My role in this process combines both the technical and strategic dimensions: contributing to the structure and content of the CoGP, aligning it with global sustainability benchmarks, and facilitating collaboration between a diverse network of actors — from chambers and producer associations to international NGOs and donors. The work also draws heavily on lessons from other commodity sectors such as coffee, cocoa, and palm oil, where national codes and frameworks have proven essential to scaling sustainability across entire industries.

The Ghana project represents what I believe to be the next generation of improvement programmes — moving from farm-by-farm interventions to systemic, nationally embedded solutions. By grounding sustainability in national policies and local ownership, while connecting it to international best practices, we are helping design an approach that benefits farmers, consumers, and ecosystems alike.

Ultimately, the work in Ghana is not only about improving aquaculture practices — it’s about demonstrating how countries can shape their own sustainability pathways, aligning local priorities with global goals, and building the foundations for a resilient and inclusive blue economy.

Indonesia - Scaling Sustainability Through a Jurisdictional Lens

In Indonesia, my work focuses on creating pathways for aquaculture sustainability that extend beyond individual farms. As one of the world’s largest shrimp producers, Indonesia’s aquaculture sector sustains hundreds of thousands of livelihoods and plays a vital role in the country’s blue economy. Yet, the growth of this sector has come at an environmental cost. Since the 1990s, and after the Ramsar Convention, ndonesia has recorded the highest level of mangrove conversion in the world, largely driven by aquaculture and coastal development.

Our work in Seruyan, Central Kalimantan, is exploring how to reverse this trend. The aim is to demonstrate that aquaculture can coexist with, and even contribute to, mangrove protection and restoration. We are working with local NGOs, community groups, and government agencies to design improvement frameworks that support both production and conservation. This includes identifying alternatives to new mangrove conversion, integrating reforestation initiatives, and encouraging better practices in feed production, and farm management to reduce pressure on ecosystems and people.

The project operates within a landscape and jurisdictional approach, aligning efforts across sectors such as shrimp, fisheries, and palm oil. By bringing these industries together, we can address shared challenges. From feed sustainability and water use to labor conditions and habitat restoration. The objective is to build locally relevant, system-wide frameworks that embed sustainability into policy, planning, and supply chains.

My role combines technical and strategic dimensions: supporting the design of these frameworks, facilitating collaboration among partners, and translating lessons from Indonesia’s leadership in jurisdictional approaches in palm oil into the aquaculture context. This cross-sector thinking is helping define what responsible shrimp production means in Indonesia — one that protects biodiversity, supports local communities, and drives long-term economic resilience.

Ultimately, the work in Indonesia is about proving that growth and restoration can go hand in hand. By reconnecting aquaculture to its natural landscapes and embedding sustainability into national and regional governance, we are helping shape a model for how production systems can evolve. From one that has historically degraded mangroves to one that actively rebuilds and protects them.

Thailand – Advancing Workers’ Rights

In Thailand, I’ve worked closely with Thai Union (an industry giant) and local partners to strengthen environmental and social practices in shrimp aquaculture. Unlike the extensive systems I’ve seen in Bangladesh or the jurisdictional approaches in Indonesia, Thai shrimp farms operate at large, high-intensity scales, producing significant volumes for global markets. This scale brings opportunities for efficiency and innovation—but also complex challenges around labor rights, supply chain accountability, and environmental responsibility.

My role has focused on helping farms improve production practices in line with local laws and international sustainability standards, while also addressing one of the most critical issues in the sector: the rights and protections of migrant workers from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. These workers are the backbone of the industry, yet too often their voices go unheard. Together with colleagues and verifiers on the ground, we have worked to strengthen systems of representation, worker training, and grievance mechanisms, ensuring that social responsibility becomes as central to aquaculture as water quality or feed efficiency.

This work is part of a broader effort to show that responsible aquaculture is not only about ecosystems, but also about people. By supporting worker empowerment, improving dialogue between farms and labor representatives, and embedding social safeguards into farm management systems, we are helping build a model where growth and inclusion go hand in hand.

What makes Thailand especially important is its visibility in global seafood markets. Changes here set precedents for the region and beyond. By advancing both environmental performance and worker protections, our work in Thailand contributes to a vision of aquaculture that is resilient, ethical, and inclusive—one that meets global expectations while improving the lives of the people who make it possible.

Bangladesh – Working With Coastal Communities Toward Resilient Aquaculture

From 2020, I helped launch the first Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP) in Bangladesh under the ASC Improver Programme, in partnership with LENK Frozen Foods and Luna Shrimp Farms. Today, more than 125 farmers across five clusters are part of this initiative, working together to improve practices in the cultivation of black tiger shrimp, known locally as bagda.

Unlike much of Asia, where aquaculture is dominated by Pacific white shrimp, Bangladesh has a unique heritage of producing black tiger shrimp in extensive, natural systems. These systems hold enormous cultural and economic value, but they also face challenges in meeting modern sustainability and market requirements. My work here has focused on connecting these traditions with global frameworks—helping farmers improve water quality, animal health, and community engagement, while also building pathways to premium markets that value responsible production.

One of the most rewarding aspects of this project has been witnessing the community dimension of sustainability. Beyond farm-level improvements, the AIP has supported the renovation of schools, investment in clean water and sanitation, and new opportunities for women’s livelihoods, such as sewing cooperatives. These actions remind me that sustainability is not just about certification or compliance, but about improving lives and strengthening resilience in rural communities.

Bangladesh is now positioning itself to develop a premium identity for black tiger shrimp on the international stage. By scaling this AIP to include 300–400 farmers and reinforcing improvements along the supply chain, we are opening doors for shared value creation—better returns for farmers, stronger local economies, and recognition of Bangladesh as a leader in responsible aquaculture.

For me, this project is about more than shrimp. It is about showing that when global markets, local farmers, and communities come together, aquaculture can drive not only environmental improvements but also social and economic transformation.