Government support for... fish farming
Al-Yaqout to “Al-Rai”:
- Two farms in Al-Wafra and Al-Abdali produced large quantities and launched them in the market
- The project enhances food security during wars, disasters, and climate change
- Trained personnel in local farms and advanced operating systems qualify them to increase production
Dr. Amani Al-Yaqout, head of the project for cultivating tilapia fish at the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), announced a move to expand fish farming projects through a partnership between the public and private sectors. She confirmed that five government entities support this direction: the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, the National Fund for Supporting and Developing Small and Medium Enterprises, the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS), the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fish Resources (PAFR), and KISR.
She added that tilapia fingerlings are now available locally, and the institute is working to provide Australian sea bass fingerlings in the near future, enabling investors to expand production and enhance the contribution of aquaculture to achieving food security, especially in light of challenges that may be imposed by wars, natural disasters, climate change, and water scarcity.
She emphasized that the most notable success stories in this field currently involve two private farms, one in Al-Wafra and the other in Al-Abdali. These farms have benefited from the research and technologies provided by KISR, enabling them to produce large quantities of farmed fish and introduce them to the local market, reflecting the success of the partnership between the public and private sectors.
Al-Yaqout pointed out that aquaculture experiments have proven successful in several countries, including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. She noted that these projects align with the goals of the development plan aimed at diversifying income sources and reducing reliance on oil. She highlighted that local farms today possess trained personnel and advanced operating systems that qualify them to continue expanding and increasing production.
She noted that the state previously allocated only about 10 percent of farm area to aquaculture projects, but there is a trend toward increasing the designated areas, which will allow for raising production capacity. She confirmed that expansion in this sector will rely on national expertise and cooperation among government entities, contributing to facing regional challenges and enhancing self-sufficiency in fish.
