ABOUT AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATION OF TANZANIA

Get to know all about AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATION OF TANZANIA

Home \ ABOUT AQUACULTURE ASSOCIATION OF TANZANIA

Historical Background

AAT is an association representing the interest of various stakeholders across the Aquaculture value chain. These include fish farmers at all levels of fish feed and seed, producers, processors, marketers, service providers, research and training institutions, local and international partners and government agencies.

AAT has been established with an initial number of 33 founder members and has been registered under the Societies Act (CAP. 337 R.E. 2002) with Registration Number S.A.20925 dated 11th December, 2017. After this formal registration, membership will be extended to individual farmers, persons, registered companies and stakeholders of the aquaculture sector.

Vision

To maintain a profitable, developed, technologically advanced and sustainable aquaculture.

Mission

Mobilizing Aquaculture farmers to join this association for capacity building in resolving challenges facing aquaculture industry in Tanzania.

Goal

To contribute positively to the growth of the Fisheries Sector in order to tap into the existing potential that can provide reasonable employment to youth, increase income, improve nutritional status and finally make a meaningful contribution to the growth of the Fisheries GDP.

Objectives

The objectives of the Aquaculture Association of Tanzania (AAT) as an umbrella are:

  • To unify members in developing sustainable, environmentally responsible and profitable aquaculture.
  • To maintain dialog and good relations with government and other aquaculture stakeholders for creation of good commercial aquaculture environment for members.
  • To support members on issues relating to capacity building, value addition and market linkage.
  • To provide workshops and training to members on aquaculture best practice.
  • To facilitate members access to finances, capital and loans for advancement of aquaculture.
  • To facilitate members’ compliance with law, regulations and standards required in aquaculture.
  • To facilitate members’ access to raw materials (feeds), best aqua breeds and reliable markets.

The association aims to empower aquaculture farmers economically, with the main focus being on increasing income, improving healthy living and creating jobs. It also aims at enhancing its role in the agricultural sector through increased food security and networking fish farmers, in terms of marketing and research. Bearing in mind that the nation Tanzania is organizing herself to be a middle income industrialized Country following the declaration of President John Pombe Magufuli who is urging for the development of Aquaculture industry in Tanzania.

As a national umbrella association, Aquaculture Association of Tanzania (AAT) intend to Lobby and Advocate on all aquaculture policies and legislations in Tanzania. Policy and regulatory bottlenecks which hinder the development of aquaculture by smallholder fish farmers and discourage investment by other value chain actors. One of the key functions of the Association will be to work with the Government to ensure that the policies and legislations put in place favors the development of the fish farming industry in Tanzania. There is still a lot that needs to be done to create a better enabling environment for fish farming in Tanzania. AAT together with the Government through the responsible ministry and other stakeholders within the fish value chain will work together to formulate and implement policies where and when necessary.

AAT’s Strategic activities

In order to meet the immediate aspirations of the Association the following strategic issues will be pursued:

  1. By Year 2018 Resources are mobilized and mechanism for fundraising is in place.
  2. By Year 2018 AAT is a legitimate and full-fledged platform to articulate aquaculture related issues in Tanzania.
  3. By Year 2019 the voice of the Association is strengthen and is positively considered by aquaculture actors at national, regional and global levels.
  4. By Year 2020 AAT has in place a Facilitation Mechanism for the advancement of aquaculture in Tanzania.

The above strategic issues will be met through the following operations:-

Strategic Issue 1: By Year 2018 Resources are mobilized and mechanism for fundraising is in place.

Operations

  1. Establish a fundraising mechanism
  2. Mobilize & Sensitize Aquaculture Stakeholders to join AAT
  3. Develop donor funded projects

Strategic Issue 2: By Year 2018 AAT is a legitimate and full-fledged platform to articulate aquaculture related issues in Tanzania.

Operations

  1. Build capacity in resolving challenges facing aquaculture industry in Tanzania.
  2. Enhance the organizational capacity of the Association to fulfill its mandate in a democratic, open and transparent manner with more skilled individuals, functional systems and structures in place.

Strategic Issue 3: By Year 2019 the voice of the Association is strengthen and is positively considered by aquaculture actors at national, regional and global levels.

Operations

  1. Promoting the representation of the Tanzanian aquaculture communities’ interests in national, regional and international forums.
  2. Acting on behalf of the interests of AAT members when requested to do so, within the parameters and means decided jointly by members.
  3. Developing and participating in campaigns to highlight important issues of aquaculture during the national and international festivals.

Strategic Issue 4: By Year 2020 AAT has in place a Facilitation Mechanism for the advancement of aquaculture in Tanzania.

Operations

  1. Developing a mechanism for AAT members to access finances, capital and loans.
  2. Encouraging AAT members to access raw materials (feeds), best aqua breeds and reliable markets.
  3. Promoting AAT members compliance with law, regulations and standards required in aquaculture.

Log frame Matrix

The logical framework for the AAT short-term plan is shown in Annex 1

Implementation Framework, Monitoring and Evaluation

The successful implementation of this Plan is primarily dependent on the support, political commitment and actions of AAT members, development partners and other stake-holders, especially to allow integration of approaches into national aquaculture planning at the country level. At the national level, coordination of, and support for, implementation of this Plan is the responsibility of the AAT Secretariat. Overall implementation of the Plan initiatives will be reviewed annually by the General Assembly based on progress reports provided by the AAT Secretariat.

Selected indicators that will reflect progress on inputs, activities, outputs and impacts undertaken during implementation will periodically be measured thus forming the monitoring processes. Monitoring will be carried out on daily, weekly, monthly, and semi-annual and annual basis, examining actual implementation of activities in relation to planned activities. Financial monitoring in terms of planned and actual expenditures will accompany physical monitoring.

Evaluation is implied to be the process by which inputs, activities and results are analyzed and assessed, in order to determine the effectiveness, impact and relevance of the implementation in light of the stated objectives.This may require the formation of an AAT subcommittee to assess progress against the outcomes in this Plan. Such a Committee could meet in the margins of the annual AAT General Assembly. A framework for monitoring and evaluation that will be used for annual reporting processes will be developed and linked to the monitoring indicators in the logical framework (Annex 1).

Funding Mechanism

Funding for the implementation of the Strategy is a major challenge to AAT. In view of the current absence of financial resources that AAT faces, the Association will immediately establish a mechanism for fund raising for self-sustenance.

The success in establishing AAT has been made possible with individual contributions from Founder members without any technical or financial support from donors. Through this Plan AAT will establish a window that AAT anticipates to obtain initial or seed funding for the Plan. Interested organizations or any other parties could also contribute to a part of the plan.

Implementation will also depend on support from other stakeholder donors. For example, it is noted that the European Commission recognizes the potential contribution of aquaculture to the overall Fisheries production. The Commission therefore encourages the development of aquaculture to boost economic growth and bring social benefits through creation of new jobs. The Commission also seeks to promote a legislative framework conducive to the expression of different stakeholders’ views and the development of a society where freedom of expression, freedom of association and assembly prevail. The EU on the other part recognizes the vital contribution made by non-state actors (such as Associations) as strategic partners in political, social and economic dialogue. Some funding mechanism therefore will take advantage of the existing European Union-financed grant contracts for external actions aimed at strengthening the capacities of non-state actors: the programmed “non-state actors and local authorities in development” and the neighborhood civil society facility.

The Governance Framework

This AAT Short term Plan is to be administered through the organizational structures of the Constitution, namely office of the Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer and the Executive Committee. These administrative structures are at an infant stage with capacity weaknesses. The weaknesses include: financial and human resource limitations, lack provision of technical support to build capacity skills within the administrative structure in order to ensure that both the Association and implementation of this Plan take off from a sound base.

Resources Requirements

Human, material and financial resources are required for successful implementation of the Plan. The Association will have to appoint and maintain staff for the Secretariat to accomplish the objectives of the Association as well as meeting the expectations of the members and key stakeholders.

Material resources needed include office space, office facilities and equipment such as Computer, Photocopier, Chairs and Tables, Cabinet, Scanner and Printer. AAT will also need seed money to pay for office running costs, implement the Association strategies and maintaining the workforce. The detailed financial requirement may be worked out upon appropriate needs assessment.

Revision of the Short-Term Plan

This AAT Short-Term Plan will be reviewed and replaced with a Mid-Term Plan after two (2) years.

Our Membership

The AAT membership presents to the private sector an effective platform to share knowledge, information and innovations and it also encourages continual development. AAT has 3 levels of memberships:

MEMBERSHIP & TYPES OF MEMBERS

Members of the Association shall be fully individuals and fully registered Association working on Aquaculture, aquaporin, aimed at bringing positive changes in the society.

  1. FOUNDER MEMBERS: Shall be those who signed the founding instruments of AAT in accordance with the constitution and dealing with aquaculture direct or indirect.
  2. ORDINARY MEMBERS: Any individual/association working on aquaculture and aquaponics aimed at bringing positive change in the society can be a member of AAT. They shall have the right of voting and participation in the General assembly of the Association.
  3. HONORARY MEMBERS: Shall be individuals, institutions or organizations that have demonstrated outstanding performance or undertakings of aquaculture and community development. In addition, Honorary Members must have shown proven interest in supporting the objectives and activities of the umbrella Association. Honorary Members will have no right to vote.

PARTNERS

AAT believes in the spirit of public and private partnership in realizing its vision and mission. The Association actively engages with government institutions and agencies, Development Partners, Private Sector companies and platforms, regional and international bodies to mention but a few in its strategy to promote inclusive industry growth and sustainability. We strategically position ourselves to identify, manage and retain trans-formative partnerships.

Developed and Maintaining by Aldeg TECHNOLOGIES CO. LTD