Latin American & Caribbean Aquaculture 2024

September 24 - 27, 2024

Medellín, Colombia

INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC COOPERATION BETWEEN CIBNOR AND UTEQ: OPPORTUNITIES AND BENEFITS

Edilmar Cortés-Jacinto*, Maritza L. Soberanes-Yepiz, Yuniel Méndez-Martínez

 

Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. La Paz, BCS, Mex.

Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur; La Paz, B.C.S.

E- mail: ecortes04@cibnor.mx

 



The total use of agricultural and fisheries products is projected to grow by 1.0% annually over the next decade; the production costs in fish and crustacean aquaculture are due to the high protein requirement of carnivorous species. These species have diets consisting of various animal and plant inputs (FAO, 2022; Lizárraga-Hernández et al., 2024). In Ecuador, the cachama fish (Colossoma macropomum), is highly valued for its quality. Consequently, aquaculture is conducted for laboratory reproduction, necessitating professional training. The Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. (CIBNOR) aims to train professionals and academics with a scientific and humanistic vision capable of developing research, creating technologies, maintaining and disseminating ancestral knowledge and cultures. To support this mission, a Specific Collaboration Agreement was established between CIBNOR and the Universidad Técnica Estatal de Quevedo (Ecuador) to exchange experiences in aquaculture systems and technologies (Figure 1). The objective was to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, experience, and research methods among CIBNOR researchers who are experts in the field (Figure 2), which would benefit prospective Aquaculture Engineers from UTEQ. The discussions centered on the utilization of biotechnology in aquaculture, investment projects, and the development of undergraduate students to enhance productivity in aquaculture. The conclusion was to prepare students with problem-solving abilities and the skills to apply them in aquaculture to achieve their goals.