WWW.WAS.ORG • WORLD AQUACULTURE • MARCH 2025 13 CHAPTER REPORTS Welcome to the exciting year 2025! At WASAC, we aim to carry forward the energy, enthusiasm, wisdom, and progress that have defined us in previous years and to build upon them in this new year. I am pleased to share that Aller-Aqua has renewed its sponsorship of WAS-AC for another three years until 2027. We again join Aller-Aqua in the slogan, “Let’s grow together!” As always, Aller-Aqua is expected at our World Aquaculture Safari Conference 2025 and other regional platforms this year. Thank you, Aller Aqua, for your role in aquaculture development in Africa! The Chapter’s membership has grown rapidly, from fewer than 400 members in 2018 to over 1,300 today. This impressive growth is due to WAS’s complimentary membership packages for students and small-scale aquaculture practitioners from Africa. Our focus as a society is to meet the needs and aspirations of these membership categories, which are vital for the future of fisheries and aquaculture development in Africa. 2025 will be especially significant for WAS-AC as we host a global conference in Africa for the second time—the World Aquaculture Safari 2025 (WA25) in Entebbe, Uganda, from June 24 to 27, 2025. We expect attendance to exceed 2,000 participants with a program packed with exciting sessions, features, and over 120 exhibition stands. Make sure you don’t miss this event! Register now, as there will be something for everyone at WA25 in Uganda! I extend my gratitude to many of our collaborators and partners who have already committed to participate in this event. Special thanks go to the GIZ, the World Bank, WISHH, Aquagroup Feeds, the African Union, and Aller-Aqua for signing conference sponsorship agreements, along with many others who are yet to do so. African Chapter WAS-AC is proud to announce the extension of Aller Aqua’s sponsorship to the Chapter for another three years through December 2027. Aller Aqua has been the Chapter’s Founding Gold Sponsor from its inception in November 2018. During this term, the feed company has “walked and grown together” with WAS-AC on various activities to build capacity on aquafeeds development and supply chains. WAS Director John Cooksey recently signed the renewal Agreement with Aller Aqua, which would see the company branded as “Corporate Sponsor” on WAS-AC platforms. As the largest fish feed producer in Africa, with factories in Egypt and Zambia, and one of the largest employers in its aquaculture industry, Aller Aqua has committed to continue to support the capacity development of farmers on the continent through free technical training workshops and collaborations with development organizations and NGOs. Aller Aqua has strongly promoted and participated at the past three annual Aquaculture Africa Conferences (AFRAQs), in Egypt (2022), Zambia (2023) and Tunisia (2024). They are scheduled to feature again at this year’s World Aquaculture Safari Conference scheduled in Entebbe, Uganda on 24-27 June 2025. In addition, within the framework of this renewed agreement both parties and their partners will develop joint activities on aquafeeds capacity building, training programmes and engagement platforms beneficial to fish farmers. These will be delivered through national, regional in-person and virtual meetings, as well as outreach activities — and shared through each entity’s publicity platforms. Aller Aqua Extends Sponsorship for the African Chapter of World Aquaculture Society (WAS-AC) to December 2027 Aller Aqua continues to collaborate with development organizations and NGOs. Aller Aqua has participated in prior Aquaculture Africa Conferences, and will be present in Entebbe. (CONTINUED ON PAGE 14)
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