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The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations highlighted Algeria’s experience in the field of aquaculture, noting that technical assistance has been provided by its services to ensure its success. The FAO applauds Algeria’s advancements in aquaculture, supported by its technical assistance dating back several years.
The FAO has provided technical assistance to Algeria to implement such integrated projects over the past decade. In the Ouargla district, several fish farms have emerged in the desert, offering an annual production capacity of 2,000 tonnes, the FAO report emphasizes. The UN organization also asserts that integrated aquaculture projects in agriculture, commonly known as inland aquaculture, are expected to have a positive impact on agricultural activity through fertilizer production and improved yields. Aquaculture-agriculture integration in these arid environments significantly reduces the need for fertilizers and increases agricultural yields, explains the FAO.
Indeed, the Ministry of Fisheries has identified over 100,000 irrigation basins suitable for integrated aquaculture development in agriculture. Livestock farming in these basins helps save on fertilizers and increase yields by over 30%. Therefore, since January, the government has decided to support this activity, considered a true tool for economic diversification, through a grant of 50,000 dinars per tonne of tilapia production, the most common fish in inland aquaculture.
Regarding marine aquaculture, Algeria has a production potential of 120,000 tonnes per year. However, despite efforts by the authorities, current production ranges from only 6,000 to 7,000 tonnes. Nevertheless, projects are underway to boost this production, to double it by 2030 to reach 100,000 tonnes.
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https://trendsnafrica.com/aquaculture-initiatives-in-egypt/
According to the Algerian Ministry, nearly 200 aquaculture projects are registered to date, with 70 currently being implemented. Those already in production have increased marine aquaculture production from 3,000 tonnes in 2022 to 6,000 tonnes currently.
The global fishery and aquaculture production has reached an unprecedented level, with aquaculture animal production (inland and marine) surpassing capture fisheries for the first time. This production, the report states, reached 223.2 million tonnes in 2022, which is 4.4% higher than in 2020.
