Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, University of Arizona/Past President of World Aquaculture Society, (center) trains recent graduates on pond management together with ASA/WISHH Country Representative, R.S.N. Janjua.

The American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (ASA/WISHH) program recently sent Dr. Kevin Fitzsimmons, of the University of Arizona, to Pakistan as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) funded FEEDing Pakistan project.

Fitzsimmons traveled to Thatta, Karachi, Multan, Lahore, Murdkee and Islamabad to conduct seminars, farmer field days and an aquaculture conference with the first Tilapia cooking competition and Research Poster Exhibition in Pakistan’s largest women’s University, Lahore College for Women University (LCWU).

He provided technical assistance to tilapia and trout fish farmers and Tawakkal Hatchery continuously highlighting the important role of soy-based feeds in the aquaculture industry. Fitzsimmons also visited two feed mills producing soy-based feeds: Oryza Feeds and Super Punjab Feed Mills.

LCWU is the largest women’s university in Pakistan having over 14,000 registered students. Two years ago, fisheries and aquaculture were added as a new degree program within the Zoology Department at the university in response to the growing aquaculture industry in Pakistan. This academic program, and others like it, are building local capacity which will lead to sustained growth in the industry.

During his visit Fitzsimmons also provided hands-on training on pond management to recent graduates trained as part of the FEEDing Pakistan program.