Policy Development Shrimp farming in Nigeria? (food sovereignty) Protest against shrimp farming in Nigeria The Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) and USAID have plans to introduce industrial shrimp farming for export in the Niger Delta, as part of a wider Nigerian programme for community development. These plans give rise to serious concerns amongst a coalition of environmental organisations in Nigeria and the Netherlands: Both ENDS, CORDAID, NOVIB, IUCN-NL, Milieudefensie (FoE Netherlands) and the Mangrove Forest Conservation Society Nigeria. In a letter to SPDC the coalition raises a first concern on the proposed project, pointing to detrimental social, economical and environmental effects of likewise projects in other parts of the world. Given the absence of a tradition of shrimp farming in Niger Delta and the weak capacity of the local and state government to safeguard environmental and social economic principles it is feared that these effects will show up in Niger Delta. SPDC states in a reaction their intention to introduce responsible aquaculture practices based upon FAO-standards. Further, they promise not to start this project before an Environmental, Social, Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) is carried out and independently verified. The coalition supports these intents but stress the following needs: An independent consultant should execute the feasibility study; The study should be guided by a committee in which environmental NGO's are equally represented in relation to SPDC and USAID; An independant party shouldl verify the results of the study; The project should not start before the results are verified. Background information: Letter to SPDC, dated June 30th, 2004 Reaction from SPDC, dated November 11th, 2004 Letter to SPDC, dated January 20th, 2005 Press release USAID and SHELL 2003 For more information, please contact Martien Hoogland: Tel: +31 (0)20-623-0823 or E-mail: ma@bothends.org