Recently, the “Training Course on Tilapia Breeding and High-yield Farming Techniques for Developing Countries” sponsored by the Ministry of Commerce and organized by FFRC successfully started. Dr. XU Gangchun, Deputy Director of FFRC attended the opening ceremony and delivered an opening speech. The opening ceremony was presided over by ZHANG Lin, Deputy Chief of the Dept. of International Cooperation and Education.

Deputy Director XU Gangchun mentioned in his speech that as the major cultured species in the world, Tilapia has made significant contribution to high-yield and alleviating global food crisis. With the high-quality development of the whole world, aquatic products will play an even more important role in ensuring global food security and improving human health as a kind of high-quality animal protein. As the pillar industry of aquaculture in most developing countries, the upgrading and development of Tilapia industry will be an important step in driving economic recovery in the post-epidemic era. In recent years, China has devoted great energy to promoting ecologically healthy aquaculture models, accelerating the development of standardized pond culture, open water enhancement and other ecologically healthy aquaculture zone, etc., and accumulating rich experience in green and sustainable aquaculture development. Deputy Director XU Gangchun hoped that participants should take this opportunity to learn from each other, exchange with each other, in order to improve tilapia seed rearing technology in their countries and promote the cooperation and healthy development of regional fishery.

Mr. Ralphrandt Atabay from BFAR of the Philippines and Mr. Samuel Owusu Donkor from Fisheries Commission of Ghana made speeches as the representatives of participants.

70 participants from 12 countries, including Kenya, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zambia, Ghana, Cambodia and South Africa participated in this 35-day training course.