Under the Food Safety Support Programme (PASA — Programme d'Appui à la Sécurité des Aliments), COLEAD has adapted its Sustainability Self-Assessment System (SAS) to the realities of artisanal fisheries. The tool, originally built for agricultural value chains such as horticulture, is now being mobilised to support fish-processing cooperatives.
A pillar of the sustainability approach
The SAS is one of the three pillars of COLEAD's sustainability approach, alongside the Sustainability Charter and the training system. Designed to drive continuous improvement of operators' practices, it has been adapted to artisanal fisheries — with a focus on post-catch — under PASA in Côte d'Ivoire, as part of the programme's tools and methodology development component. This adaptation reflects field realities: resource management, working conditions, food safety, traceability.
Why apply it?
COLEAD has received support requests from fish-processing cooperatives, and the analysis of these applications is ongoing. The SAS makes it possible to assess each structure's maturity level, with a focus on food safety, and then to design development projects and monitor the progress of supported structures over time.
How the tool works
In practice, the SAS for fisheries takes the form of a simple Excel workbook comprising the instructions, a company profile with key data, five assessment grids and a graphic summary of the results. Five areas are reviewed: management; trade and finance; hygiene, quality and food safety; social; environment. Each criterion is rated 0 (non-compliant), 1 (partial) or 2 (fully compliant). The tool distinguishes four maturity levels, from L1 (informal enterprise) to L4 (high-performing enterprise, a model in the sector): moving up to the next level requires meeting at least 80% of the criteria at the current level. The first level rests on 10 essential base criteria; each subsequent level adds 8 to 15 more. The result is a summary chart showing the percentage of criteria met per area and per maturity level — a clear snapshot of each structure's situation, and an objective basis for targeting support.
This activity is implemented by COLEAD and supported by the Food Safety Support Programme for the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire (PASA-Côte d’Ivoire), funded by the European Union through the EU Delegation in Côte d’Ivoire. This communication has been produced with the financial support of the EU. Its contents are the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the EU.