Monthly Archives: January 2013

Feeding the 9 billion: The tragedy of waste

By 2075, the United Nations’ mid-range projection for global population growth predicts that human numbers will peak at about 9.5 billion people. This means that there could be an extra three billion mouths to feed by the end of the century, a period in which substantial changes are anticipated in the wealth, calorific intake and dietary preferences of people in developing countries across the world.

Such a projection presents mankind with wide-ranging social, economic, environmental and political issues that need to be addressed today to ensure a sustainable future for all. One key issue is how to produce more food in a world of finite resources.

Today, we produce about four billion metric tonnes of food per annum. Yet due to poor practices in harvesting, storage and transportation, as well as market and consumer wastage, it is estimated that 30–50% (or 1.2–2 billion tonnes) of all food produced never reaches a human stomach. Furthermore, this figure does not reflect the fact that large amounts of land, energy, fertilisers and water have also been lost in the production of foodstuffs which simply end up as waste. This level of wastage is a tragedy that cannot continue if we are to succeed in the challenge of sustainably meeting our future food demands.  Read more …

Experienced aquaculture project supervisor wanted in Mozambique

The Manda Wilderness Community Trust (MWCT)  is seeking an experienced aquaculture project supervisor to work in the Lago District, Niassa Province, Mozambique.

Description of Role:

• Manage and organize the work schedules and progress of an 18 member community association
• Design and adjust short-term and long-term plans on a grassroots and rural aquaculture project
• Take frequent camping trips to the picturesque village of Litanda
• Learn and improve Portuguese and Nyanja language skills
• Help bring improved nutrition, capacitation and leadership skills to the community association, Litanda village and surrounding communities 
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AwF special session at Aquaculture 2013 in Nashville, USA

If you are going to Nashville, TN for the Aquaculture 2013 conference, please join us on Friday 22 February at 3:30-5:30 PM for the Aquaculture without Frontiers Special Session chaired by co-executive director, Dave Conley.

Session Agenda:

3:30:  Dave Conley – AQUACULTURE WITHOUT FRONTIERS: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE

3:45:  Kevin Fitzsimmons – AQUACULTURE WITHOUT FRONTIERS FARMER TO FARMER PROGRAMS

4:00:  Patricia Moraes-Valenti – POSSIBILITIES OF AwF COLLABORATION WITH BRAZILIAN ORGANIZATIONS WORKING ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION

4:14:  Dave Little – TILAPIA HATCHERY STRATEGIES IN ASIA – SPANNING THE INTENSITY CONTINUUM

4:30:  William N. Mebane – LOW RESOURCE TILAPIA CULTURE IN HAITI, LIMITATIONS, OPPORTUNITIES, AND POSSIBLE STRATEGIES FOR INTENSIFICATION

4:45:  May Myat Moe Lwin – AWF’S ROLE IN DEVELOPING MYANMAR’S AQUACULTURE POTENTIAL

5:00:  Roy Palmer – MARKETING AwF INTO THE FUTURE

5:15:  Dave Conley & Roy Palmer – Q&A SESSION + TILAPIA AQUACULTURE IN HAITI WORKSHOP 2011: HIGHLIGHTS AND OUTCOMES 

Appeal for Nandeesha Medical Assistance Fund halfway to goal

The appeal to help pay for the medical expenses incurred by Dr. M.C. Nandeesha’s family in the struggle to save his life has raised a total of USD 42,295 to date; this is 55% of our target amount of USD 77,000.

The appeal, launched December 21^st, is a combined effort by Aquaculture without Frontiers, World Aquaculture Society, Global Aquaculture Alliance, Asian Fisheries Society and Network of Aquaculture Centers in Asia-Pacific.

We have heard today from our colleague, Prathapa Chandra Shetty in Dubai, that Mrs. Rajeshwari Nandeesha is slowly recovering from the unimaginable and sudden events in her life. Now that she is back in Bangalore, after having participated in the Funeral Celebrations at Nandeesha’s home town, she has started looking at the many letters and emails received from Nandeesha’s friends and colleagues around the world. She is overwhelmed by the support and kind messages of condolence that she has received. She wants you all to know that she has no words to express her gratitude for the kind of support she has received during these difficult times and that she is extremely grateful to everyone.

We encourage you, if you have not done so already, to help us achieve our goal of collecting USD 77,000 by making a donation either online via the WAS website or by cheque. Details are provided by clicking here.