Kafr El Sheikh University has strengthened its partnership with aquaculture welfare organisation FAI by incorporating its free tilapia welfare e-learning courses and mobile-based Tilapia Welfare App into its academic curriculum.
The move is seen as a further step towards equipping the next generation of aquaculture professionals in Egypt with the tools and knowledge needed to transform fish farming practices across the country.
“FAI’s resources are not only easy to access but, because they’re produced by leading welfare experts, our students are learning from the best in the field of fish,” said Dr Radi of Kafr El Sheikh University. “By training our students in welfare-focused aquaculture practices, we are both improving their education and contributing to the long-term success of the sector.”
Egypt is one of the world’s largest producers of tilapia, with welfare increasingly recognised as leading to improved productivity, healthier fish and higher-quality products.
FAI COO Murilo Quintiliano welcomed the university’s adoption of FAI’s tilapia welfare training and assessment resources.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to see the university integrating our resources into their teaching. We want to help students gain a deeper understanding of fish welfare, acquire specific knowledge about tilapia – a cornerstone of Egypt’s aquaculture sector - and learn how to apply welfare principles in real-world settings,” Quintiliano said.
The Faculty of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences at Kafr El Sheikh University has adopted FAI’s e-learning courses into its 2024 academic programmes. The courses are already being used in subjects such as behavioural ecology and due to be included in the new principles of aquaculture module. Alongside this, the Tilapia Welfare App is now being introduced to students as an accessible, mobile-based tool for assessing and improving fish welfare.
“Fish farms that prioritise welfare see better outcomes,” Radi said. “By incorporating these new tools into our teaching, we are equipping future aquaculture professionals with the skills they need to improve fish welfare and support food security across Egypt.”
Alongside FAI, Ethical Seafood Research (ESR), Egypt’s Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research (CLAR), Aquavet Egypt and Cairo University, Kafr El Sheikh University is one of the organisations involved in the successful Tilapia Welfare Project in Egypt.
Launched in early 2024, the project is already reaching over 15% of Egypt’s aquaculture sector, using FAI’s Tilapia Welfare App and free FAI Academy e-learning courses to provide fish farmers with effective tools and knowledge for assessing and managing fish welfare.
