The Improver Programme in Bangladesh
Discover how the Improver Programme by ASC helps small scale producers better their farming practices.
See the Improver Programme in action!
Sitting on the edge of the Sundarbans, Bangladesh’s Satkhira region forms part of the largest mangrove forest in the world—a vast river delta created by the confluence of the mighty Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna rivers. This area of wetlands is also among the world’s most important shrimp-producing areas.
The region’s aquaculture industry is typified by family-run farms using simple, low-intensity farming methods. These ‘smallholder’ farms collectively make up a large part of Bangladesh’s shrimp production and make a significant contribution to the region’s economy.
Mohammad’s family farms Black Tiger Shrimp in Satkhira, and for as long as he can remember, shrimp farming has been a way of life:
However, such simple farming methods have their limitations.
Smallholder farms often lack the required systems and controls to demonstrate responsible aquaculture practices to a wider market, and the rigorous demands of ASC certification are typically beyond their financial and technical reach.
To address farms like these, ASC launched the ‘Improver Programme by ASC’ with a view to providing the framework and technical support needed to implement improvement via an Aquaculture Improvement Project (AIP) whilst ensuring accessibility to even the smallest farm.
Mohammad’s small-scale, low-intensity approach produces shrimp of extremely high quality, which have a significant appeal to customers in lucrative export markets.
Heiko Lenk, founder of Lenk Group, supplies these lucrative export markets and has always had the aim to develop a higher appreciation for Bangladeshi Black Tiger Shrimp by improving its aquaculture practices and shortening the supply chain.
From experience, Heiko knew about the excellent quality of shrimp produced by farmers like Mohammad. Although Heiko was also very well aware that certain practices along the supply chain, including PL (shrimp larvae) selection, farming, and even post-harvest practices, must be improved in order to be able to market the shrimps.
In 2023, Luna Shrimp Farms, founded by Lenk Group, was onboarded, and an initial group of 125 farms became Bangladesh’s first AIP under ASC’s Improver Programme. By collaborating in an AIP, know-how is shared, farming practices are improved, and the increasing demand for responsible product in the international market is met. For Mohammad, the support has been transformational:
The typical structure of an AIP is an improvement plan of up to three years, tailored to the specific requirements of each farm. ASC trained implementers and verifiers provide independent technical expertise, and verify progress at each improvement milestone, providing complete transparency to stakeholders.
Pla Duangchai, the ASC’s AIP manager for Asia, has seen its impact in Bangladesh first-hand:
The Improver Programme implements the same principles of the ASC Farm Standard, including focus on the direct and indirect social impacts of aquaculture. Access to education for local children is one of Luna Shrimp Farms’ key support initiatives:
Each AIP presents different environmental challenges. One focus area in Bangladesh has been the widespread practice of harvesting wild shrimp larvae or ‘PL’.
Although this is a traditional practice, local researchers have found that for every shrimp PL collected, many other organisms are affected. This training was a key improvement area for Mohammad:
The use of ‘Specific-Pathogen Free larvae’ (SPF), relieves pressure on wild stocks, and non-target species, and helps reduce disease in the farm ponds—a good example of where an improvement benefits the farmer as well as the ecosystem.
Mohammad’s ambition now goes beyond the Improver Programme. He can see the potential benefits to the local economy, and the country’s aquaculture industry, and his heart is now set on ASC certification, on completion of the programme:
The Lenk/Luna AIP is ongoing. For more detailed updates on this AIP and others or further information on the Improver Programme by ASC please visit this page.