Following the signing of a Cooperation Agreement between Aquaculture without Frontiers (AwF) and the Universidad Tecnológica Del Mar De Tamaulipas Bicentenario (UTMarT) September 15, a number of activities have taken place highlighting the importance that both organizations have placed on the arrangements.

Executive Director, AwF, Roy Palmer, said, “AwF have immediately appointed Antonio Garza de Yta as its Capacity Building Director with a specific role to manage the AwF Aquaculture Learning Centre at the International Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer for Aquaculture (CIITTA) project with UTMarT as we recognized the very important role that Antonio played in establishing the agreement and the high regard in which he is held. We note that Antonio has also just become the President of the Capítulo Latino Americano y  del  Caribe de la Sociedad Mundial de Acuacultura (LACC-WAS) so we are grateful to have him in our team.”

Palmer added, “Additionally through AwF’s strategic alliances we are able to confirm that three aquaculture specialists have been engaged through the ‘Farmer to Farmer’ program managed at University of Arizona by former WAS & AwF President, Professor Kevin Fitzsimmons to visit UTMarT in the next 4-6 weeks. They will primarily be engaged in strategic planning for the Crassostrea Virginica (Virginia oysters) project which will be located in La Pesca, Tamaulipas (just where hurricane Ingrid hit) and is seen as a major development for the population living in the coastal areas, regarded as where the poorest communities in the state are based.” 

Another AwF volunteer, Dr. Imad Saoud from the American University in Lebanon, is visiting CIITTA in Tampico at the moment engaging discussion with UTMarT students, industry and government on activities relating to his specialty, Arid Land Aquaculture. Utilisation of water is seen as a major issue and Dr. Saoud’s experiences and research in this area are world renowned.

Commenting on the AwF activities Chancellor of UTMarT, Dr. Guadalupe Acosta Villarreal said “We have been impressed with the urgency that AwF have shown in these activities relating to the agreement with quality aquaculture specialists which will clearly make a long term difference in assisting with the growth of aquaculture and the alleviation of poverty and hunger in the area. From our side we have commenced the building work at CIITTA, which will be AwF’s first Aquaculture Learning Centre (ALC). ” 

AwF ‘Farmer to Farmer’ completed project reports are detailed at http://www.aquaculturewithoutfrontiers.org/projects/completed-projects-and-field-activities/ and are the subject of FARMD Featured Topic on Aquaculture Risk Management at https://www.agriskmanagementforum.org/ due to be published this week.