The World Aquaculture Safari 2025 (WA25), the largest aquaculture gathering in Africa, will be held in Uganda from June 24-27 at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala.
The conference, co-organized by the World Aquaculture Society and Land Mills, is expected to attract nearly 2,000 participants from around the globe.
Under the theme “Aquaculture on the Rise,” the event will focus on advancing sustainable aquaculture development in Africa, with an emphasis on international collaborations and showcasing new technologies.
According to Commisioner for Aquaculture in the ministry of Agriculture Alio Andrew Africa is the fastest growth node for aquaculture on the African continent.
“This is predominantly as a result of the farming of tilapia, but several other species contribute to the sector. East Africa is also a world leading region in the farming of seaweed, with exciting developments around several other marine species such as sea cucumber and more,”he said.
Alio revealed that Aquaculture is a growing sector with significant production, particularly in tilapia and catfish.
“Production has seen substantial growth, with estimates ranging from 820 tonnes in 2000 to 138,558 tonnes in 2021.Uganda is now the third-largest aquaculture producer in Africa, and second in sub-Saharan Africa. There are an estimated 20,000 fish ponds across the country, with an average size of 500 square meters according to the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS),”he explained.
He however says the sector faces challenges, including disease outbreaks, poor quality fingerlings, and access to finance, but also offers considerable potential for further development and commercialization
In addressing the current challenges, Alio revealed that ministry of agriculture in working on aquaculture strategy aimed to boost production of aquaculture business including technology and capacity building needs.