The first round of the global Aquaculture Innovation Challenge (AIC) has ended with 17 of the initial 56 applications moving on to the second round.
Of the successful candidates, six of the 23 design applicants (those whose innovation is in the early stages) will continue to round two, along with eight of the 23 demonstration applicants (fully conceptualised innovations), and three of six of the upscaling category (where innovations already have proof of concept and an operational business).
The judges felt there was a multitude of interesting innovations hoping to effect positive change in the Indonesian shrimp sector. Innovations looking at improving feed and feed conversion, disease mitigation, farm process optimisation and more will move forward.
Design
At the design stage, successful applicants included an innovation to increase the available area in shrimp ponds, an affordable way to reduce ammonia build-up in the same, a product aimed at reducing disease, a new way of feeding, using seaweed grass as fertiliser and an automatic feeder for shrimp hatcheries.
Demonstration
Successful demonstrations included a new extract to help shrimp grow faster, an initiative to incentivise producers, a way of increasing efficiency and reducing waste, an effluent treatment system, two products to reduce disease and a technology to improve water quality.
Upscaling
The upscaling category saw a water quality improvement initiative, the development of a synthetic protein and a probiotic to reduce disease.
