This volume includes five studies on tilapia farming in Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, which together accounted for nearly 95 percent of Africa’s tilapia aquaculture production in the mid-2010s. Tilapia value chains are analysed from various perspectives: technical, economic, social and institutional.

Tilapia is the most popular aquaculture species item farmed in over 120 countries or territories worldwide. Global tilapia aquaculture production grew 11 percent annually (or 13 percent in terms of farmgate value) over the past three decades, from 0.3 million tonnes (USD 304 million) in 1987 to 5.9 million tonnes (USD 11 billion) in 2017. Aquaculture production in Brazil increased 14 percent annually (or 12 percent in terms of farmgate value), from 13 000 tonnes (USD 56 million) in 1987 to 595 000 tonnes (USD 1.5 billion) in 2017, making it a regional aquaculture powerhouse contributing to 20 percent of Latin America and the Caribbean’s aquaculture production in 2017. In Brazil, tilapia has been the largest aquaculture item, contributing to nearly half of the country’s aquaculture production tonnage in 2017. This document assesses tilapia farming and the value chain in Brazil by examining tilapia farming technology and practices, dissecting the tilapia value chain, evaluating the sector’s social and economic performance, discussing the importance of proper governance to the sector development, and highlighting potentials, issues, constraints and challenges in the development of tilapia farming or aquaculture in general in Brazil.

The world tilapia aquaculture production grew from 380 000 tonnes in 1990 to 6 million tonnes in 2018, making it the fourth-largest species group in global aquaculture. Tilapias are the second-largest species group in Mexico’s aquaculture with its 53 000 tonnes of production contributing to around 20 percent of the 247 000 tonnes of total aquaculture production in 2018. Mexico is the second-largest tilapia capture fisheries country, and its 116 000 tonnes of tilapia capture fisheries production in 2018 was primarily contributed by culture-based fisheries. Overall, Mexico is the second-largest international market for tilapia products, and the 228 000 tonnes live weight equivalent of its tilapia import in 2018 was higher than its domestic production. The average per capita apparent tilapia consumption in Mexico was 3.08 kg (21 percent of its total fish consumption) in 2018, which was much higher than the 0.9 kg world average. This document assesses tilapia farming and the value chain in Mexico by examining tilapia farming systems and practices, dissecting the tilapia value chain, evaluating the sector’s social and economic performance, discussing the impacts of proper governance and institutions on the sector development, and highlighting potentials, issues, constraints and challenges in the development of tilapia farming or aquaculture in general. The document ends with a brief discussion of the impacts of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the tilapia industry in the country.

Tilapia Culture, Second Edition, covers the vital issues of farmed tilapia in the world, including their biology, environmental requirements, semi-intensive culture, intensive culture systems, nutrition and feeding, reproduction, seed production and larval rearing, stress and disease, harvesting, economics, trade, marketing, the role of tilapia culture in rural development and poverty eradication, and technological innovations in, and the environmental impacts of, tilapia culture. In addition, the book highlights and presents the experiences of leading countries in tilapia culture, thus making it ideal for tilapia farmers and researchers who seek the most relevant research and information. The new second edition not only brings the most updated information within each chapter, but also delivers new content on tilapia transfers, introductions and their impacts, the use of probiotics and other additives in tilapia culture, tilapia trade, including marketing, and sustainability approaches and practices, such as management practices, ecosystem approaches to tilapia culture, and value chain analyses of tilapia farming. - Presents the biology of tilapia, including taxonomy, body shapes, geographical distribution, introductions and transfers, gut morphology, and feeding habits - Covers semi-intensive tilapia culture in earthen ponds, tanks, raceways, cages, recirculating systems, and aquaponics - Provides the latest information on brood stock management, production of monosex tilapia, seed production, and larval rearing under different culture systems - Highlights the most common infectious and non-infectious diseases affecting farmed tilapia, with a full description of disease symptoms and treatment measures - Provides an in-depth exploration of tilapia economics, trade and marketing

Global growth in aquaculture is underway – a “blue revolution” featuring rapid increases in demand for fish and a corresponding surge in aquaculture production. This paper describes the fast-growing tilapia value chain in Ghana to demonstrate the features of a nascent blue revolution in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and to illustrate its potential for job creation and reducing poverty and food insecurity there. Tilapia production has been growing at 15 percent annually in SSA, but imports are also surging to satisfy the growing appetite for tilapia. This paper illustrates how aquaculture can grow sustainably in SSA within the context of growing demand and global competition. A value chain analysis is conducted using secondary data analysis, desk reviews of experiences and lessons from other countries, interviews with 95 actors in the tilapia value chain in Ghana, and detailed production and profitability data from Ghanaian tilapia farmers. A profitable farmed tilapia industry has been established in Ghana with the potential to expand supply to satisfy local demand and to export to neighboring countries. Productivity in the industry has grown mainly through reducing the mortality rates of fingerlings and improvements in the supply of locally-produced high-quality fish feed. Feed costs remain high. However, there is potential to reduce those costs by improving the productivity of crops that are used in fish feed, particularly maize and soybean. Reducing local feed costs will have positive spillover effects on both other pond-based aquaculture systems and on the livestock feed sector. Moreover, Ghana can expand it fish feed production to be an important source of feed within SSA. The industry can further increase aquaculture productivity through the adoption of faster-growing fish strains and better management practices. Ghana’s aquaculture sector could grow even faster by adopting lessons from other countries, including on infrastructure provision, fiscal incentives for the production of fish feed ingredients, and sustainable fish farming practices, particularly through paying close attention to water and feed quality and addressing food safety concerns within the sector.

FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Papers Tilapia is the world's most popular aquaculture species, farmed mostly in earthen ponds. Experience in China has been used to develop a bioeconomic model of intensive tilapia pond culture.This publication indicates that improving farming arrangements can significantly improve economic performance.

This edited book presents the emerging sustainable innovations in all areas of aquaculture in Africa with a view to create an opportunity whereby scientific outputs and recommendations can be endorsed for improved aquaculture outputs towards poverty alleviation and food security on the continent. Food insecurity and poverty are some of the challenges faced on the African continent. These challenges are further exacerbated by the growing human population and the impacts of climate change. Today, aquaculture has become one of the fastest food producing sectors in the world, with the potential to contribute significantly to food security and poverty alleviation in developing countries. In Africa, aquaculture is at an infant stage, however, many African countries have recognized the potential roles of aquaculture in food security, poverty alleviation and conservation of aquatic resources through their commitment to achieve the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals. The book reviews and synthesize research work from these thematic areas across Africa and provide a unique perspective on the emerging aquaculture innovations and illustrate how aquaculture practices could be feasible and cost effective while promoting social and environmental sustainability. The book also draws from global discussions on sustainable aquaculture practices and provides recommendations on what is feasible for Africa. This book is a great tool for the university students, scholars, aquaculture farmers, investors, and policymakers to understand the scientific based sustainable aquaculture innovations from an African perspective. This book is focused on SDG 2 and SDG 14.

This book offers a comprehensive analysis of the application level for various agricultural biotechnologies across Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors examine the capacity available as well as the enabling environment, including policy and investments, for facilitating agricultural biotechnology development and use in the region. For each Sub-Saharan country, the status of biotechnology application is assessed in four major sectors; Crops, Livestock, Forestry and Aquaculture. Examples such as the number and requisite skill levels of trained personnel, biosafety frameworks and public awareness are surfaced in these chapters. This work also discusses the impact of push-pull factors on research, training and food security and identifies opportunities for investment in biotechnology and local agribusiness. Development partners, policy makers, agricultural consultants as well as scientists and private sector investors with an interest in biotechnology initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa will find this collection an important account to identify key gaps in capacity and policy, as well as priority areas going forward. The volume highlights ways to develop technology and increase agricultural production capacity through international cooperation and inclusive economic growth, making it a valuable practice guide in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 2 Zero Hunger and SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth. Clear case studies round off the reading experience.

"This definitive reference work explores the effects of current and expected climate change, taking place throughout the world, on selected bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infectious fish diseases of economically important fish in tropical and temperate waters"--