SLSU-Bontoc’s Project ISDA staff joins Fish Nutrition and Feed Development Training
Mr. Alex Tumadlas of the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR-UOS)-funded Project ISDA (Interventions for Sustainable Development of Aquafeeds in Southern Leyte, Philippines) collaborated by SLSU-Bontoc and the Laboratory of Aquaculture and Artemia Reference Center (ARC), Ghent University, joined the Special Training Course on Fish Nutrition and Feed Development, along with ten (10) other participants from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The weeklong training course was organized by the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center/Aquaculture Department (SEAFDEC/AQD), a leading research institution for science-based aquaculture technologies, from September 4 to 9, 2023, at Tigbauan, Iloilo City. Mr. Oligario Adesna, SLSU-Bontoc Aquaculture Technician, accompanied Mr. Tumadlas.
The jampacked week started with a lecture on the concepts and approaches to sustainable aquaculture and nutritional pathology by AQD’s scientist and the Head of the Training and Information Division, Dr. Edgar Amar. A series of lectures on nutrition in aquaculture, the nutrient requirement of finfish and crustaceans, and the essential micro and macronutrients were discussed by AQD’s experts’ Ms. Carina Bendigosa, Dr. Roger Edward Mamauag, AQD’s Head of Technology Verification and Extension Division, and Dr. Frolan Aya, AQD’s Head for Binangonan Freshwater Station, respectively. AQD’s scientist, Dr Myrna Teruel of the Research Division, introduced concepts on feeding habits, behavior, digestion, and absorption. Mr. Joseph Biñas tackled the Dos’ on feed formulation, also from the Research Division, while Mr. Rheniel Dayrit discussed the economics of feeding. The participants also had a chance to get themselves familiarize with the facilities around Tigbauan Main Station (TMS) facilities.
Exercises in feed development with practicals on feed preparation, laboratory-scale feed storage, processing, and use of alternative ingredients for feeds were also covered. A tour of AQD’s Igang Marine Station in Guimaras Island was organized on the last day of the training to demonstrate cage culture and feeding management of broodstock.
The knowledge and practical know-how gained from this training are anticipated to strengthen SLSU-Bontoc as the campus moves towards the development of local aquafeeds utilizing agro-waste as novel ingredients, thus offering solutions to the on-and-off supply and high cost of aquafeeds that disable small-scale fish farmers in Southern Leyte in producing farmed fish that is competitively-priced compared with terrestrial proteins.
