Dutch-BD partnership invests Euro 6.0m to develop sustainable aquaculture sector

A joint cooperation aimed at investing six million Euros to develop sustainable growth of Bangladesh's aquaculture sector has formally been launched, says a press release.
The agreement was signed at the head office of Aftab Bahumukhi Farms at Banani in the capital on Wednesday.
Birgitta Tazelaar, Deputy Director of General Inter-national Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signed the agreement on behalf of the Netherlands, while Abu Lutfe Fazle Rahim Khan, Director of Aftab Bahumukhi Farms, and Mahmud Riyad, General Manager, Opera-tions, Gemini Seafood, signed the deal on behalf of their respective firms.
The Dutch Embassy in Bangladesh and a partnership of Dutch and Bangladeshi companies, headed by Larive International B.V., launched it.
The partnership consisted of Aftab Bahumukhi Farms, Gemini Sea Food, Nutreco, Viqon, LightCastle Partners, and Larive International.
The parties will now establish three Centres of Excellence in Sylhet, Khulna, and Cox's Bazar to introduce and demonstrate different types of improved and more sustainable techniques for fish breeding and cultivation.
Moreover, research and trials with on-farm products such as feed additives, aqua specialties and antibiotic replacers will be conducted and technical assistance to fish breeders and farmers will be provided.
In addition, the partnership will upgrade an aqua feed line in Dhaka to increase the availability of domestically produced specialized fish feed.
The four-year cooperation, titled 'FoodTechBangladesh', co-financed by the Dutch Embassy in Bangladesh, will contribute to improving the technical and commercial performance of fish breeders and farmers in Bangladesh by demonstrating best practices and transferring know-how.
Over 1,600 local fish breeders and farmers will receive training at Centres of Excellence and via online courses.
In addition, the partnership will reduce post-harvest losses by connecting fish breeders and farmers directly to end markets.
Addressing on the occasion, Anne van Leeuwen, Ambassador of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, said: "The Dutch Embassy in Bangladesh supports the development of more sustainable agri-food value chains in Bangladesh and encourages Dutch companies to locally invest together with local stakeholders".
"We are glad that via this cooperation we are to contribute to increased food security, more sustainable water usage and strengthen the cooperation between the Dutch and Bangladeshi private sector".
Matthias Brienen, Director of Larive International, said: "Strengthening the aquaculture sector in Bangladesh requires an increase in domestic productivity in an environmentally and socially responsible way. This can be realized via introducing technologies developed in the Netherlands".
FoodTechBangladesh is initiated and led by Netherlands-based Larive International in close collaboration with its Bangladesh-based affiliate LightCastle Partners, a local business consultancy firm.
LightCastle is helping Larive in coordination of the projects.

Sanjir Ali, Consultant, LightCastle Partners