The 2017 World Aquaculture Conference, a major annual event of the World Aquaculture Society, shall for the first time be held in Africa with the involvement of countries throughout from the Africa continent and the world. Aquaculture is rapidly growing in Africa and is increasingly becoming integrated into the continent’s food systems and socio-economic development strategies. The transformation in the continent’s aquaculture development approach is enshrined in the ‘Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa’. This strategy that is currently under implementation serves as the continent’s blue print for aquaculture development. The strategic objective for aquaculture under this strategy is to jump-start market-led sustainable aquaculture based upon sound scientific principles and evidencebased strategies and implementation plans.
This is therefore the perfect time for the world aquaculture community to focus on Africa. World Aquaculture 2017 additionally provides an opportunity for Africa’s aquaculture producers, service providers and policy makers to directly interact, learn lessons, and build networks with each other and the global aquaculture community.
The African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), a lead player guiding the implementing of the continental aquaculture policy welcomes this event being hosted in South Africa under the auspices of the Aquaculture Association of South Africa (AASA) in collaboration with the Government of South Africa.
AU-IBAR, being a collaborating partner in this event shall be chairing the African Session. All African public and private sector aquaculture value-chain actors are encouraged to participate in this major event that shall provide a unique opportunity as both a continental and global forum for the exchange of knowledge, technology and linkage to potential markets for aquaculture goods and services. This event shall greatly boost the continent’s capacity to achieve its aquaculture development goals.
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