Did you know? María Fernanda Vilches’ career connects farm qualification and blockchain-based traceability with the organization of more than 70 international pavilions, linking production practices with the promotion of Ecuadorian shrimp around the world.

María Fernanda Vilches is the International Trade Shows Manager at the National Chamber of Aquaculture, with more than 15 years of experience in the Ecuadorian shrimp industry. She leads the sector’s participation in international trade shows, creating opportunities to position Ecuadorian shrimp in key markets across the Americas, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

She previously served as Process Manager at Sustainable Shrimp Partnership (SSP), where she led the development of technical qualification protocols for shrimp farms in collaboration with the Colombian Institute of Technical Standards and Certification (ICONTEC), as well as their implementation at the program’s first member farms.

She also led the implementation of SSP’s blockchain-based traceability system and its Living Wage Project. Her experience combines technical knowledge, sustainability, and international market promotion, connecting what happens at the farm with the evidence and transparency expected by global buyers.