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Dec 06, 2018
ASA/WISHH’s Jim Hershey visits a tilapia study being conducted by a local university near Siem Reap Province. A quick look showed that there was substantial room for improvement. The CAST Project, with Kansas State University’s Sustainable Intensification Innovation Lab, will strengthen local universities’ ability to teach and certify experts in aquaculture techniques and management practices, including proper feed and feeding techniques.
ASA’s Commercialization of Aquaculture for Sustainable Trade (CAST) Project made progress as Chief of Party Jim Hershey spent most of November in Southeast Asia meeting with project partners, fish producers and feed mills that buy U.S. soybean meal, such as CP Foods.
The largest feed mill and poultry producer in Cambodia, CP imports about 50,000 tons of soybean meal per year for feed production for many target species (but not yet fish) and they appreciate U.S. origin for its quality and amino acid profile. Hershey also met with the regional USDA representatives and participated in a Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture led working group on aquaculture. ASA contracted with USDA on Sept.27. The CAST Project budget is $17 million over 5 years, funded by the USDA’s Food for Progress Program.
