Farming the Waters for People and Food – Proceedings of the Global Conference on Aquaculture 2010

Farming the Waters for People and Food – Proceedings of the Global Conference on Aquaculture 2010

The Global Conference on Aquaculture 2010 brought together a wide-range of experts and important stakeholders and reviewed the present status and trends in aquaculture development, evaluated the progress made in the implementation of the 2000 Bangkok Declaration and Strategy, addressed emerging issues relevant to aquaculture development, assessed opportunities and challenges for future aquaculture development and built consensus on advancing aquaculture as a global, sustainable and competitive food production sector.

This volume, a yet another joint effort of FAO and NACA, brings you the outcome of the Global Conference on Aquaculture 2010, the much needed clear and comprehensive technical information on how aquaculture could be mobilized to alleviate global poverty and improve food and nutrition security in the coming decades. Click here to download the report.

Please note that Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF) was mentioned on page 799 of the report, and that one of the report’s editors, Patrick Sorgeloos, is an AwF director. Within the document are presentations by AwF Patron, M.S. Swaminathan, as well as several AwF directors: Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, B.A. Costa-Pierce, Geoff L. Allan, Roy Palmer, David Little, M.C. Nandeesha, and P. Sorgeloos. Several members of the AwF Technical Advisory Committee (TAG) were also presenters: Craig L. Browdy, Sevaly Sen, Randall Brummett, Roger Pullin, and Peter Edwards.

M.C. Nandeesha talks about AwF in April 2012 issue of Fishing Chimes

Aquaculture without Frontiers, Alleviating Poverty through Aquaculture, by AwF Chair M.C. Nandeesha was published in the April 2012 issue of Fishing Chimes. This 3-page article provides an overview of some of the achievements and challenges of AwF since its launch in 2004. Please click here to read this article in its entirety.

Our sincere thanks to J.V.H. Dixitulu, editor of Fishing Chimes, for giving us permission to post this article.

AwF-Nepal Phase II project final report received

The final report of our AwF-Nepal Phase II project was received and is now posted on our projects page; you can view it by clicking here.

Highlights of the report include:

Within the limited project funding of US$15,290 (+Overhead), a total of 90 fish ponds were constructed in two years’ time to benefit more than 400 direct family members. Although the target was to reach 100, it is still 90% successful which is quite high. 

Symposium – Aquatic Resources for Eradicating Hunger and Malnutrition, 4-6 Dec 2012, Mangalore, India

To commemorate their Silver Jubilee, the Asian Fisheries Society Indian Branch (AFSIB) is planning a Global Symposium on Aquatic Resources for Eradicating Hunger and Malnutrition – Opportunities and Challenges from 4 – 6th December , 2012 in Mangalore, India.

The number of participants is limited to 600 and you are encouraged to register early. Click here for Symposium details and visit the ASF website for further details and registration info.

How is poverty measured? World Bank explains

Do you wonder how we measure poverty? Do you know how we do it, but have a hard time putting it into simple words?

This 3 minute video explains the methodology that we used, how it works and why it is important. Watch this video to find out.

Come to our website to learn more about poverty and equity!

The World Bank’s mission is to reduce poverty. Timely research and analysis help guide the Bank’s investments and measure success. Our poverty economists keep human welfare and equality at the forefront of all Bank activities, while working directly with member governments to develop sound economic and social policies.

AwF booth at Aquaculture America 2012

Aquaculture America 2012 - Las Vegas, Nevada - February 29 - March 2

If you are planning to attend Aquaculture America 2012 in Las Vegas, USA on 29 February – 2 March, please come by the AwF booth (#528) in the trade show to meet with Dave Conley, executive director, and/or several other directors that will be at the conference – Sungchul (Charles) Bai (S. Korea), John Cooksey (USA), Jose Ferrnandez Polanco (Spain), Kevin Fitzsimmons (USA), John Forster (USA), and David Little (UK).

The AwF Board of Directors recently approved a strategic plan to guide the activities of the organization for the next 3 years and we would like to speak to members of the aquaculture community about our focus and top priorities. We also want to find out from current and potential supporters what we can do to engage them more in our mission, as well as discuss collaborative opportunities, project development ideas, and fundraising. 

Upcoming lecture – Implementing low resource fish farming methods in Haiti: progress, pitfalls and the future?

William Mebane of the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA will be giving a guest lecture titled Implementing Low Resource Fish Farming Methods in Haiti: Progress, Pitfalls and the Future? about the Aquaculture Learning Center (ALC) in Marigot, Haiti. This AwF funded project, in collaboration with Novus International and others, has been reported previously in January 2012, July 2011 and February 2011. 

New FAO video – Turning points in modern aquaculture

Turning Points in Modern Aquaculture is a 15-minute video produced by the Aquaculture Service of the FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department for the Global Conference on Aquaculture 2010 and the Fifth session of the COFI Sub-Committtee on Aquaculture held in Phuket, Thailand in October 2010. With film clips taken from various countries and photos contributed by many – depicting the range of people, species, environments, systems, practices as well as opportunities and challenges facing aquaculture, this video takes viewers to a historical journey to the major turning points in aquaculture development since the early and first aquaculture practice by a Chinese named Fan Li two millennia ago. 

AwF funded project in Nepal reported in Aquaculture Asia Magazine

We would like to draw your attention to an article recently published in the Oct-Dec 2011 issue of Aquaculture Asia Magazine. The article titled Peter Edwards writes on rural aquaculture: Visit to the AwF funded small-scale aquaculture project in Nepal details the visit made by Peter in November 2010, which we reported on at that time.

This 9-page article describes in text and wonderful photos the work, progress, challenges and outcomes of the project to date. We highly recommend that you take the time to read this article.

Please note that Peter Edwards volunteers his time to serve on the AwF Technical Advisory Group.

Progress report on Aquaculture Learning Center in Haiti

Aquaculture Learning Center (ALC) – Marigot, Haiti

The vision of a school-based Aquaculture Learning Center is becoming a reality thanks to hundreds of Haitian labor hours, the dedicated faculty at the Henri Christophe High School, and the financial help of AwF, Novus International and others. Our mission during our most recent trip to Haiti was to stock the basin with its first load of fish and to hire and train a select group of “employees” to maintain the system and care for the fish. Paramount during this phase of the project was the establishment of standard operating procedures and a method for internet-based record keeping and reporting which will allow us to monitor and guide our new aquaculturists during this critical start-up phase.