The recent African Aquaculture Conference (AFRAQ24) in Hammamet, Tunisia, attracted nearly 1,300 delegates from industry, academia, government and development partners, according to organisers.
Participants came from 74 countries around the world. The majority were from African countries.
Under the theme ‘Blue Agriculture: New Horizons for Economic Growth’, the event highlighted how partnerships in science, education and technological advancement can help drive innovation in Africa’s blue economy agenda.
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Ezzeddine Ben Chiekh, was the guest of honour. The conference, organised by the African Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS-AC), was also attended by high-level dignitaries from Tunisia, Zambia, Algeria and Angola, as well as high-level and technical guests from the African Union (AU), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the European Union, the World Bank and others.
With sessions balancing global and African perspectives, the conference has a rich scientific and technical programme. In total, the programme included 41 sessions, 277 abstracts, 46 posters and four training workshops.
In addition to development organisations, more than 100 industry players and professionals from Tunisia, Africa and around the world attended AFRAQ24. Key industry players included Nutrifish (AFRAQ24 Gold Sponsor), Aller Aqua and several other aquafeed, fish production, equipment supply and consultancy companies.
The technical and scientific programme was complemented by a major international exhibition. 55 stands from 22 countries were represented. This included a Tunisian pavilion showcasing the country’s aquaculture industry and some of the projects being supported. Several Tunisian and Mediterranean aquaculture companies were represented in the pavilion.
On the margins of AFRAQ24, the WAS-AC Board held its fourth annual meeting. For the benefit of more than 80 students who physically participated, WAS-AC also organised the Africa Student Programme Sessions. The second annual meeting of the WAS Platform for Portuguese-speaking Countries (PALOPs) was also held.
The next African WAS Conference is scheduled for 24-27 June 2025 in Entebbe, Uganda. This will be followed by AFRAQ26 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, in early December 2026, and then World Aquaculture 2027 in Accra, Ghana, in late November 2027.
TunisianMonitorOnline (NejiMed-Fishfarmingexpert)
