Nairobi: Kenya's aquaculture sector is advancing towards greater sustainability with the official launch of the FAI Tilapia Welfare App in the country last month.
According to Kenya News Agency, FAI is a global leader in aquaculture welfare research and development that advances sustainable and responsible aquaculture practices with a focus on innovation and collaboration. This milestone marks the latest phase of the Kenya Fish Welfare Project, initiated by Ethical Seafood Research's Kenya office in early 2023.
Building on the foundations laid by the Kenya Fish Welfare Project last month, which included farmer training and surveys on fish welfare, FAI, Ethical Seafood Research (ESR), and the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI) have partnered to introduce FAI's tilapia welfare tools to Kenya's aquaculture sector. This collaboration brings together the Tilapia Welfare App and hands-on training to equip farmers and extension officers with the skills and resources to improve fish welfare and boost farm performance across the country.
Wasseem Emam, founder, director, and head of research at ESR, said that by applying these learnings in Kenya, they aim to support a more sustainable and welfare-conscious aquaculture sector across East Africa. He noted, 'This initiative builds on our work with FAI in Egypt, where the adoption of welfare-focused training and digital tools has significantly improved tilapia farming practices.'
The demand for tilapia in Kenya is very high, and the supply is relatively low, thus there is a big push to increase production levels, Emam noted. 'We must ensure that the highest welfare practices are at the heart of this drive to increase productivity; using FAI's globally recognized tools and expertise allows us to do this,' he said.
The yearlong initiative officially kicked off last week at KMFRI's headquarters in Kisumu, with thirty extension officers from nine counties, including Busia, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Kisii, Kisumu, Migori, Nyamira, Siaya, and Vihiga, participating in a practical training workshop. The training workshop was led by ESR Country Managers Mohamed Bakr from Egypt and Faisal Qureshi of ESR Kenya, with support from Dr. Paul Orina and his team at KMFRI.
Participants were taken through knowledge of water quality testing tools and introduced to FAI's e-learning tilapia welfare training modules on the FAI Academy website before visiting local farms to practice and experience firsthand how the FAI Tilapia Welfare App can support farm management by improving record-keeping and providing real-time insights into farm and fish performance.
Wasseem said that educating a cohort of extension officers will see the spread of vital welfare knowledge across the nation's fish farming sector. 'The project represents a significant milestone in the promotion of tilapia welfare in Kenya. We are looking forward to expanding our efforts and supporting more farmers and extension officers in adopting best aquaculture practices,' said Wasseem.
Murilo Quintiliano, of FAI, said that they are committed to improving fish welfare globally and that the project in Kenya is an important step in that journey. 'While the scale of aquaculture in the country is still relatively small, Kenya is one of the fastest-growing fish-producing nations in Africa, so we are excited to be supporting welfare work at this early stage.'
Dr. Paul Orina from KMFRI added, 'The training will go a long way in creating awareness on environmental management as well as enhance productivity. The Tilapia Welfare App is also proving very useful at a time when the country is shifting to more intensive aquaculture.'
The continuation of the Kenya Fish Welfare Project was made possible through the collaboration of major partners and the generous support of the Craigslist Charitable Fund.