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Good practice Imported

Belize Shrimp Growers Association — Certification-Led Cluster Upgrading (2014–2016)

Belize · Belize City · See the Belize profile · See the Belize City profile

Evidence: Observational / pre–post Top 63% 62/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

Compete Caribbean and IDH helped Belize's shrimp growers earn ASC certification and reach UK retailers, adding an estimated 600 jobs (450 for women) in 2014-15 - though a 2015 EMS disease outbreak later cut national shrimp output by more than half.

5-8
Farms achieving ASC certification
~US$20 million
Cluster export value, before programme
~US$45 million
Cluster export value, after programme (2014-2016)
~1,100 jobs
Cluster employment, before programme
~1,400 jobs
Cluster employment, after programme (2014-2016)
600
New jobs created (IDH accounting)
450
New jobs for women
more than 50%
National shrimp production drop after EMS outbreak (from March 2015)
Belize Shrimp Growers Association — Certification-Led Cluster Upgrading (2014–2016)

Details

Maturity
Pilot
Promoter
Belize Shrimp Growers Association, with Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility (IDB), DFID/DFATD and IDH
Period
2014-2016
Keywords
aquaculture, seafood export, sustainability certification, agribusiness

Context

Between 2014 and 2016, the Belize Shrimp Growers Association (BSGA), representing roughly 15 farming businesses, took part in the Compete Caribbean Partnership Facility's cluster-competitiveness programme, co-funded by the IDB, DFID/DFATD and the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH).

Objectives

The programme aimed to help Belize shrimp farms earn Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certification, reach premium export markets, and improve sector-wide biosecurity via a Bio-security Aquaculture Zone Management Plan (BAZMP).

Activities

Five to eight Belize shrimp farms achieved ASC certification - at the time making Belize one of the first countries where the great majority of farmed shrimp met the standard - opening premium UK retail channels including Marks & Spencer.

Results

An independent 2016 evaluation for the IDB found cluster export value rising from roughly $20 million to $45 million and cluster employment from about 1,100 to 1,400 jobs over the period; a separate IDH-linked accounting of the same certification push reported 600 new jobs, 450 of them for women.

Conclusions

The gains were not immune to shocks: from March 2015 an Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) outbreak cut Belize's national shrimp production to less than half of its 2014 peak, and the IDB's own evaluators cautioned that reported firm-level results could reflect external factors as well as programme support.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Low (< €50k) — Programme funding for certification, marketing and the Bio-security Aquaculture Zone Management Plan was co-financed by the IDB (via Compete Caribbean), DFID/DFATD and IDH; a total programme budget figure is not given in the cited sources.
Time to results
Medium (1–3 years) — Programme ran 2014-2016; the EMS disease shock affecting national output began March 2015, partway through the intervention period.
Staffing & skills
Belize Shrimp Growers Association (producer association), Compete Caribbean / IDB facilitation staff, DFID/DFATD and IDH co-funders, ASC certifiers

Conditions for success

  • Multi-donor co-financing (IDB, DFID/DFATD, IDH) alongside the producer association
  • Securing a premium retail buyer commitment (Marks & Spencer) to make certification commercially worthwhile
  • A sector-wide biosecurity plan (BAZMP) covering the whole ~15-farm cluster rather than a single firm

Common failure modes

  • Certification-led gains proved vulnerable to biological risk - an Early Mortality Syndrome outbreak from March 2015 cut national production to less than half its 2014 peak
  • IDB evaluators cautioned that reported firm-level gains could reflect external market factors as well as the programme itself

Commonly funded by

National / regional programmes

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Data sources

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