Kampala, Uganda | Uganda is set to host one of Africa’s most prestigious aquaculture conferences, the World Aquaculture Safari (WAS 2025), from 24th to 27th June 2025 at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala.
The announcement was made by the Minister of State for Fisheries, Hellen Adoa, during a media briefing at the Uganda Media Centre.
Minister Adoa described the event as a landmark moment for Uganda and the continent’s blue economy.
She noted that Uganda’s hosting of the World Aquaculture Safari 2025 is a source of national pride and a major opportunity to showcase the country’s potential in aquaculture innovation, sustainability, and food security.
She underscored that this international conference places Uganda at the center of global attention, especially in championing modern and sustainable aquaculture practices.
The World Aquaculture Safari, a regional extension of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) conferences, was specifically designed to amplify Africa’s voice in the global aquaculture dialogue.
With over 3,000 members across more than 100 countries, WAS is globally recognized for its role in promoting sustainable aquaculture through research, innovation, and partnerships.
Previous editions of the Safari were hosted in Egypt (2022), Zambia (2023), and Tunisia (2024).
Uganda will be hosting the event for the first time, marking a significant milestone in its rise as a key player in Africa’s aquaculture sector. Minister Adoa acknowledged that Africa has historically had limited visibility in global aquaculture platforms but emphasized that this narrative is shifting.
She highlighted the creation of the African Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society (WAS-AC) in 2018, a move backed by the African Union and the European Union under the Fisheries Governance Project, aimed at promoting African perspectives in aquaculture policy and practice.
She further explained that the term “Safari” was deliberately chosen to reflect Africa’s cultural identity and ownership of its development journey in aquaculture.
She described it as more than just a conference a movement designed to elevate Africa-led innovation, celebrate local success stories, and attract global collaboration.
This year’s event will run under the theme “Aquaculture on the Rise”, capturing the growing momentum across Africa’s aquaculture landscape.
The four-day gathering is expected to attract over 2,000 delegates from across the globe, including fish farmers, researchers, policymakers, investors, youth, and international development partners.
The conference agenda will feature a dedicated Farmer’s Day to spotlight grassroots innovations, field visits to aquaculture sites and research stations, exhibitions showcasing technology and hatchery advancements, as well as policy dialogues, networking forums, and investor roundtables.
Minister Adoa emphasized that the Safari will provide a platform for inclusive participation, particularly from women, youth, and smallholder farmers.
She noted that the event aims to boost African-led research and entrepreneurship, elevate successful local aquaculture champions, and draw foreign investment that will benefit communities directly.
Uganda’s aquaculture industry, currently producing around 130,000 metric tonnes of fish annually, has set an ambitious target of more than doubling its output to 300,000 metric tonnes.
Most of this production is through pond systems, though there is growing interest in cage culture on Lake Victoria and the use of concrete tanks.
To enhance data-driven planning, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) is currently conducting a nationwide aquaculture census.
Ugandan fish products serve both local markets and neighboring countries, including Kenya, South Sudan, DRC, and Rwanda.
The sector is guided by progressive laws and policies such as the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act (2023), Aquaculture Rules (2022), and the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy (2018) all geared towards promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Minister Adoa highlighted that WAS 2025 is expected to deliver major outcomes, including the establishment of a Global Tilapia Genetic Reference Centre in Uganda, strengthening of aquatic animal health systems through international knowledge exchange, and enhanced collaboration with local research bodies like NARO-NaFIRRI, NAGRIC-GB, Makerere University, and Busitema University.
The event also supports broader regional priorities as articulated by the East African Community (EAC), COMESA, IGAD, and the African Union (AU) especially around gender equity, youth engagement, and intra-African trade.
Closing her remarks, Minister Adoa extended a warm invitation to all stakeholders from fish farmers and researchers to exhibitors and international financiers to join in what she called a historic moment for Uganda and Africa.
She expressed her hope that this platform would not only elevate Uganda’s aquaculture potential but also inspire the rest of the continent to take charge of its blue economy narrative.
