Following the successful World Aquaculture Conference in Darwin Australia (May 2023), focus is now on to the upcoming Second Annual International Conference and Exposition of the African Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society (AFRAQ2023) scheduled for Lusaka, Zambia from 13 to 16 November 2023.
The well-attended First Aquaculture Africa Conference in Egypt in 2022 continue to reverberate throughout the aquaculture community in Africa and beyond. And now Zambia has committed to host the second annual gathering of the WAS in Africa. The country, being one of the top and fastest growing aquaculture producer countries in Africa has a lot of lessons to learn from, especially on addressing some of value chain dynamics affecting the industry today.
Thousands of delegates from around the world are expected to converge in Zambia, to celebrate achievements on all aspects of aquaculture development in Africa, but also to find solutions to some of the challenges hampering the growth of the sector, and to explore new opportunities. AFRAQ2023 will undoubtedly provide numerous educational, networking and collaboration opportunities.
The country has recently launched its Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy 2022-2026, where the aquaculture sub-sector is expected to further contribute significantly to food and nutrition security, employment creation and foreign earnings through fish exports. The country has stepped up its efforts to create an enabling environment for private sector investments and is implementing a number of strategic public-private sector project activities to enhance and strengthen the aquaculture value chains. Consequently, a number of aquafarms – small, medium to large scale continue to flourish in the country.
More and more institutions and organisations continue to express their interest to attend AFRAQ2023 as witnessed from the recently concluded regional conferences on aquaculture in East Africa (Kenya) and West Africa (Nigeria) and also at WAS outreach events in Africa. Zambia’s visa and entry formalities are relatively less complex, as most countries are now eligible to either obtain a visa-on-arrival or apply for an e-visa prior to travelling. Zambia also has close bi-lateral relations with several countries from the Asia-Pacific region, most of which have provided capacity building and industry development support to the aquaculture sub-sector.
An aquaculture tour is being organised to Siavonga, Lake Kariba – where a number of medium to large scale aquaculture enterprises are based (including one of the largest aquaculture business in Africa, Yalelo Pvt Ltd. https://yalelo.com/). This is also where one of Aller Aqua’s biggest aquafeeds plant in Africa is based. For those interested in sightseeing and adventures, visits to some famous touristic attractions in Lusaka and countrywide (such as the famous Victoria Falls) can also be arranged after the conference.
Aller Aqua are Gold Sponsor of AFRAQ2023. Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities are still available. More information available on https://www.was.org/meeting/code/AFRAQ23. You are also welcome to contact us for further queries on mario@marevent.com and worldaqua@was.org or africanchapter@was.org
