Victory Farms Pioneers Sustainable Tilapia Farming in Africa, Joins ASC Improver Programme

Editor/Mohamed SHihab

Kenya's Victory Farms has become the first tilapia farm in Africa to join the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Improver Programme, marking a significant stride towards responsible seafood production on the continent.

HOMA BAY – Victory Farms, a leading tilapia producer in Western Kenya, has made a historic move by becoming the first tilapia farm in Kenya, and indeed across Africa, to participate in an Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP) under the prestigious Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Improver Programme.

This landmark achievement signifies a major leap forward for responsible seafood farming in Africa. Operating a vertically integrated model across 50 hectares in Homa Bay (Nyanza region), Victory Farms currently produces an impressive 18,000 tonnes of tilapia annually, overseeing its entire value chain from hatchery to consumer.

The ASC Improver Programme is designed to support farms committed to enhancing their farming practices to meet higher standards of responsibility. By joining this program, Victory Farms publicly underscores its dedication to environmental stewardship and ethical farming.

"This is a landmark achievement not just for Victory Farms, but for Africa’s seafood farming sector as a whole," stated Roy van Daatselaar, Head of Improver Programme at ASC. "We are thrilled to support Victory Farms as they choose change and raise the bar for tilapia farming in the region."

The AIP will involve close collaboration with ASC to pinpoint areas for enhancement, implement best practices, and meticulously monitor progress. This effort is set to bolster key aspects of Victory Farms' operations, such as animal welfare and the responsible use of feed. It will also serve as a vital blueprint, guiding other aquaculture producers across Africa towards more sustainable practices.

Nsogbu Wadike, Victory Farms’ Group Aquaculture Excellence Manager, expressed the farm's commitment: "We’re eager to ensure our standards are world-class and traceable for all our consumers. Joining the AIP is an an excellent opportunity to strengthen this rigour and reporting in our operations."

About the ASC Improver Programme

The ASC actively drives large-scale improvements in seafood farming globally through its established certification program. For farms not yet ready or eligible for full ASC certification, the Improver Programme offers a pathway to continuous improvement via AIPs. The collective impact of these numerous small changes in non-certified seafood farming contributes significantly to ASC's overarching goal of transforming seafood farming worldwide for a more sustainable future.

The Improver Programme (ASC IP) provides structured procedures and tools to ensure that producers consistently and effectively implement improvements through their Aquaculture Improvement Projects (AIPs). Currently, 17 active AIPs are operational within the shrimp sector across Ecuador, Kenya, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Thailand.

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