International Services
United States Department of Agriculture
The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) serves U.S. agriculture's international interests by expanding export opportunities for U.S. agricultural, fish, and forest products and promoting world food security. The FAS administers several programs beneficial to the United States aquaculture industry including:
The Trade Assistance and Promotion Office (TAPO) serves as the first point of contact for persons who need information on foreign markets for agricultural products or assistance in accessing government programs. TAPO can: 1)Provide country and commodity specific Foreign Market Information Reports which focus on best market prospects, and contain contact information on distributors and importers; 2) Put you in touch with several low-cost services that help U.S. exporters make direct contact with foreign buyers such as the Trade Leads, Foreign Buyer Lists, and Buyer Alert programs; 3) Provide basic export counseling, and direct you to the appropriate USDA offices to answer your specific technical questions on exporting; 4) Connect exporters with the appropriate export programs operated by the FAS such as the Export Enhancement Program, the Market Promotion Program, or our credit guarantee programs; 5) Help in getting information on export-related programs managed by other Federal agencies, such as the Export-Import Bank, the Department of Commerce and the Small Business Administration.
The FAS has a collection of Agricultural Marketing Opportunities for exporters and nonexporters interested in food and agriculture. Highlighted opportunities range from seminars to trade shows from around the world. It includes FAS trade shows and related events.
United States Agency for International Development
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) supports aquaculture research and development projects in developing countries where significant opportunities exist to utilize this form of food production to meet nutritional needs and to increase incomes and employment opportunities. It supports applied research, usually involving U.S. scientists, primarily through the Office of Agricultural and Food Security (AFS) in the Center for Economic Growth and Agricultural Development (EGAD) of the Bureau for Global programs, Field Support and Research (G). The research addresses critical constraints to the expansion of sustainable small-scale aquaculture in developing countries. The main mechanism through which AFS supports aquaculture research is the Pond Dynamics/Aquaculture Collaborative Research Support Program (PD/A CRSP) which involves a dozen U.S. universities as well as research institutions in several developing countries. AFS also supports aquaculture research and development activities undertaken by the International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM). USAID also assists in the education and training of farmers, scientists, extension specialists and administrators, and promotes the transfer of appropriate technologies from the U.S. to developing countries. Other offices in USAID/Washington as well as some Missions in developing countries also support aquaculture research and development projects designed to introduce and demonstrate technically sound aquaculture production methods and to adapt them, where necessary, to local environmental. economic and social circumstances.
For Further Information, Please Contact: Harry Rea, Aquatic Resources Advisor, USAID/G/EGAD/AFS, Mail Stop 2110 Washington, DC 20523-2110, Phone: (202) 712-0359, Fax: (202) 216-3579, E-mail: hrea@usaid.gov
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