The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a Record of Discussions (R/D) with the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt on August 31, in Cairo, on the technical cooperation project “Aquaculture and Fisheries Distribution Improvement for Economic Development Project.
Egypt depends on the Nile River for more than 85% of its water resources, and with population growth expected to continue, the efficiency of water resource use is an urgent issue. However, irrigation water use is prioritized for agricultural purposes, and in principle, only agricultural wastewater can be used in inland aquaculture ponds, which has led to concerns about the impact of residual pesticides and other harmful components on the quality of farmed fish. In Egypt, where the aquaculture industry is the most active in Africa, it is important to ensure that water-saving aquaculture is carried out as well as to spread the prior use of water resources to promote the inland aquaculture industry, and that wastewater does not adversely affect agricultural production in the secondary use areas.
This project will strengthen planning and implementation capacity and aquaculture extension services to promote sustainable and resilient aquaculture in three governorates in Egypt, establish efficient water use systems, promote the establishment of a national certification system for appropriate aquaculture standards in Egypt, and strengthen the capacity of value chain actors. This project is expected to increase the economic and social contribution of the aquaculture sector in the target region, contributing to SDG Goal 2 “Food Security” and Goal 12 “Sustainable Production and Consumption”.
© Source JICA