38 DECEMBER 2024 • WORLD AQUACULTURE • WWW.WAS.ORG When thinking of Africa, especially East Africa, it is easy to conjure up scenes of wildlife and safaris. Less well-known is that this region boasts large and abundant inland water reserves, including Lake Victoria as the world’s second largest freshwater lake and the world’s largest tropical lake. Lake Victoria is roughly the size of Ireland and feeds the mighty Nile River (the world’s longest river). When one adds a warm tropical climate, an abundant marine environment on the East coast of Africa, and a well developed society and growing population, then it does not take long to ponder the question: “…and aquaculture?” Indeed, East 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. The EU-funded TRUEFISH Project, which seeks the advancement of aquaculture in the Lake Victoria Basin, showcased the region to the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) Board in 2022, which was well accepted and led to the pinning down of June 2025 as a suitable date for an aquaculture conference in the region. This in turn led to the signing of an hosting agreement between WAS and Landell Mills as an implementing partner of TRUEFISH. Selecting the shores of Lake Victoria for an aquaculture conference was easy. However, the only lake city that offers direct flights to major international air travel hubs is Entebbe in Uganda. A mere 38 km from the airport (on good quality and uncongested roads) lies the Speke Resort Munyonyo (www.spekeresort.com) — a world class conference and exhibition facility on the shoreline of Lake Victoria. Through Egypt (2022), Zambia (2023) and Tunisia (2024), the African Regional Aquaculture (AFRAQ) Conferences have shown steady growth. It is however important to emphasize that Aquaculture Safari 2025 is a World Aquaculture Conference, incorporating both the continental event and the showcase global event. Undoubtedly, it will address key African topics such as tilapia and catfish production, but the conference will cater to a global audience covering a diverse range of presentations, species, meetings, discussions, workshops and more. Already, commitments of participation have been received from the likes of the FAO, the World Bank, the African Development Bank, Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit, the African Union and others. Moreover, the trade show and exhibition promises to assemble the largest selection of aquaculture goods and service providers under one roof, in Africa, to date. Participants will range from academia to state officials, from technology providers to students, from farmers to fish buyers and exporters, and more. Apart from papers from across the world, plans are also afoot for an extensive farmer’s day, several side events such as aquaculture investment and seaweed workshops, and a field day to visit some of the largest fish farms on Lake Victoria. African countries will also showcase their aquaculture sectors in the trade show, allowing for global networking. Under the theme “Aquaculture on the Rise,” World Aquaculture Safari 2025 aims to: 1. Showcase the aquaculture industry in Africa and globally. 2. Forge international collaborations and linkages, in areas such as research, development, species sectors, feeds, investments, markets, trade and more. 3. Unify the global aquaculture sector. For international visitors the tourism opportunities before and after the conference are limitless. These include trekking for gorillas and chimpanzees (get your permits early!), visiting some of Africa’s famous Big Five game reserves in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, visiting or rafting the Nile River, witnessing the majestic Murchison Falls, seeing Mount Kilimanjaro or experiencing the tropical seas of Zanzibar. Africa awaits its international aquaculture guests with excitement. Registration will open on the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) website around the start of December 2024. See you there! WORLD AQUACULTURE SAFARI 2025: Biggest Aquaculture Meeting in Africa to Date 24-27 June 2025, Speke Resort Munyonyo, Entebbe, Uganda Etienne Hinrichsen When one adds a warm tropical climate, an abundant marine environment on the East coast of Africa, and a well developed society and growing population, then it does not take long to ponder the question: “…and aquaculture?”
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