SAFE-Aqua · SustainAble Farming for Effective Aquaculture

SustainAble Farming for Effective Aquaculture

Aquaculture is an important food source for the world’s growing population. The increasing demand and productivity of aquaculture leads to global trade in breeding stock, genetic material and aquaculture products for human consumption, but also exacerbates the globalization of pathogens. SAFE-Aqua, an international, inter- and multidisciplinary consortium, aims to provide scientific solutions to solve disease-related issues in aquaculture using shrimp as a model through research and innovation staff exchange and sharing of knowledge and ideas from research to market. SAFE-Aqua's objectives were to explore the benefits of developed feed additives on keeping a healthy gut microbial balance, enhancing immune-capacity and maintaining nutritional integrity of shrimp as a product. To assess these beneficial effects, SAFE-Aqua synergized the cutting-edge technology platforms, multidisciplinary and complementary expertise, as well as infrastructure from networks of the partnership among the leading research institutes in France, UK and Thailand and a synthetic biology company in Spain. During the project, a new partner Wageningen university has been included in our consortium with the aim of increasing the bioinformatics capacity of the group. The outcomes of SAFE-Aqua will undoubtedly help improve competitiveness of EU aquaculture industry, employing around 80,000 people and whose growth has been relatively constant since 2000 compared to aquaculture production worldwide. The project, by providing an alternative to chemical treatments for diseases in aquaculture, also aims at making farm environment safer and improving food security. Moreover, SAFE-Aqua promoted international and inter-sector collaboration through research and innovation staff exchanges and sharing of knowledge and ideas from research to market. The use of cutting-edge innovative technologies allowed researchers to develop new skill sets helping them to develop their careers in the best way. In addition, administrative staff implicated in the project management also greatly benefitted from the knowledge exchange and built further collaborations.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union