The Soy Excellence Center (SEC) is excited to present its 76th Aquaculture Program on "The Role of Genetics Improvement for Increasing Fish Farm Yield," which will be held virtually on Wednesday, September 25th, 2024, at 12:45 PM Cairo Time. This program aims to provide aquaculture professionals with advanced insights into genetic improvement techniques and their impact on enhancing fish farm productivity.

Key sessions will cover topics such as feed management in tilapia hatcheries, led by Prof. Mohamed Fathi Osman, and technologies for optimal tilapia seed production, presented by Prof. Ahmed Saney. Prof. Safwat Gabran will address water quality management in hatcheries, while Prof. Nabil Ibrahim will discuss genetic improvement programs, highlighting the GIFT (Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia) and GIANT programs to boost sustainable access to superior seeds.

Additional sessions will focus on biosecurity implementation for quality seed production by Prof. Salah Mesalhy and practical tips to avoid common mistakes in aquaculture, shared by Prof. Diaa Al-Kenawy.

The program will conclude with an open discussion and Q&A session, providing a platform for participants to engage with the speakers, followed by closing remarks.

This course is designed for aquaculture professionals aiming to enhance fish farm yields through the application of genetic improvements and best practices.

SEC's Aquaculture Program on The Role of Genetics Improvement for Increasing Fish Farm Yield
Wednesday, September 25th, 2024, at 12:45 PM Cairo Time

Instructor Bio

Prof. Mohamed Fathi Osman
Prof. of Fish Nutrition Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University

In 1988, Professor Osman received his PhD from Gottingen University (Germany) in Fish Nutrition. In addition to the academic position, he had performed several consulting assignments in different feed factories. He was responsible for creating different fish feed formulas especially for tilapia, carp, mullet, sea bream, sea bass and shrimp. Since 2017 he is an aquaculture consultant for the USSEC in Egypt. In 2006, he worked as aquaculture consultant for the Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation. In 2008, he was loaned from the University to the Ministry of Agriculture as a Chairman of the General Authority for Fish Resources Development (GAFRD).In 2011, he was hired as President of the Agriculture Research Center (ARC).He is also Fellow of the Egyptian Academy of Scientific Research.

Prof. Ahmed Saney Eldin Sadek
Head of Central Administration for Production and Operation, LFRPDA

Since 1994, Dr. Ahmed has been working in aquaculture sector. He started in Zawia fish farm that is affiliated to General Authority for Fish Resources Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (GAFRD) for 4 years. He left GAFRD to work in a private hatchery for Nile tilapia in 1998. Then, he implemented and managed several tilapia and carp hatcheries and farms until he was promoted to work as a general manager of fish farming department at GAFRD in 2014 to July 2023. Now he is the head of central administration for production and operation at LFRPDA (formerly GAFRD). He had studied agricultural science till receiving his PhD in fish physiology and nutrition in 2009. He worked for international organizations like FAO as an aquaculture policy expert and WorldFish as an aquaculture trainer. In addition to work as a fish nutrition consultant for several fish feed factory and feed supply companies and aquaculture consultant for fish production companies.

Prof. Safwat A. A. Gomha Gobran
Professor at Central Lab. for Aquaculture Research (CLAR)

He is currently working as Professor at Central Laboratory for Aquaculture Research (CLAR)-Agricultural Research Center since1992. He worked in the Department of Limnology for 16 years, and then moved to Department of Aquaculture Systems 17 years ago.   He holds Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences from Cairo University in 2001.  He is Chairman of the Research Committee at the Central Aquaculture Research Laboratory for more than six years.  He arbitrated and discussed eight scientific theses in Egyptian universities. He worked as an evaluator and arbitrator at the Science and Technology Development Fund at the Academy of Scientific Research for several projects.  He was a member of the qualifying exam committee for the doctorate degree for three students at Cairo University. He ranked the seventh place in the creativity and excellence competition that was held at the Agricultural Research. He has published 29 papers 

Prof. Nabil Ibrahim
Scientist & genetic improvement program leader, WorldFish – Egypt

Prof. Nabil is currently leading the genetics program at the WorldFish – Egypt for producing the genetically improved fish species including Genetically Improved Abbassa Nile Tilapia "GIANT" and African catfish, professor of limnology at the Central Lab for Aquaculture Research (CLAR), international consultant for the genetic improvement programs at some international organizations and professor of biostatistics and calculus at some Egyptian universities. Dr. Nabil earned his bachelor’s in animal production, Faculty of Agriculture – Cairo University, in 1990, and his Ph.D. in Limnology from Cairo University in 2001. In 2013, he accepted a Professor Position at CLAR and Scientist at the WorldFish. He significantly participated in the dissemination of GIANT to the fish farming sector through the broodstock multiplication centers, consequently, fish farms, which in turn distribute it throughout the country and participated in the Best Management Practices (BMP) training programs, which had the great impact in increasing the Egyptian fish production. He has a strong contribution to capacity building through lecturing and practical demonstrations for more than 2500 local, regional, and international trainees who came from 110 countries on genetic improvement practices and some aquaculture related topics. Prof. Nabil has about 30 peer-reviewed papers in Scopus, international and national journals, and four short books in aquaculture related topics. He is a reviewer for the journal of Aquaculture Reports (ScienceDirect & Elsevier journal), external examiner for international dissertations for the Pakistani University Bahauddin Zakariya – Multan and the Egyptian Journal for Aquatic Biology and Fisheries.

Prof. Salah Mesalhy
Chairman, LFRPDA, Cairo, Egypt

Prof Salah Mesalhy Aly, BVMS, MVSc, Ph.D. Professor of Fish Pathology at Suez Canal University & One of 2% Best Scientists in the world for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 based on Stirling Univ. Standard, USA.
Chairman, Lakes and Fish Resources Protection and Development Agency Board, Egyptian Cabinet. 
Chairman, Egyptian Mariculture Project Board, Ministry of Agriculture.
Chairman, Regional Advisory Council of U S Soya Excellence Center.
A member of Board of Trustee to National New Ismailia University. Ministry of Higher Education.
A member of WorldFish Board of Trustee, CGIAR, Washington/Malaysia. A member of the Livestock and Fisheries Research Council at the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology, Ministry of Higher Education. A member of the General Union of Arab Experts. A member of the General Union for the Protection of Wild and Marine Life in the League of Arab States. A member in Faculty Council in College of Vet. Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ministry of Higher Education. A member in Faculty Council in College of Fisheries, Suez University, Ministry of Higher Education. A member of Egyptian Boards for import and Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture. A member of National Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography Council, Ministry of Higher Education.
He has published more than 220 Scientific Research Papers in Local and International Scientific Journals.
He also supervised, participated, and discussed more than 250 Master's and Doctoral theses. He published 4 Scientific Books in the field of Pathology. He judged Scientific Research for more than 50 Local and International Scientific Journals. He won 20 international Research Projects.
Formally worked as:
Chairman, General Authority for Fish Resources Development, Ministry of Agriculture.
Head of Pathology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University.
Dean of Fish Farming and Technology Institute, Suez Canal University.
Head of the Fish Health Program for Africa and West Asia, World Fish Center.
Head of Fish Diseases Department at World Fish Center (Malaysia/Egypt).
Expert Consultant for WHO, United Nations. Organizations (Geneva).
Expert Consultant, FAO, United Nations Organizations (Rome).
Expert Consultant, OIE, United Nations Organizations (Paris).
Expert for Consultation Group of International Agricultural Resources, Washington, USA.
Coordinator for International Cooperation of the Suez Canal University.
Professor and Head of Medical Laboratories Department, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia.
Teacher Assistant in Department of Biological Science, University of Texas at El Paso, USA.

Prof. Diaa Al-Kenawy
Head of Research, CLAR, Egypt

Diaa works as Head of Research at the Central Lab for Aquaculture Research, CLAR. He currently has over 30 years of experience in aquaculture. Diaa has studied Agricultural sciences and got a PhD in aquatic toxicology 2006 and has participated in and led many research and development projects as a scientist at WorldFish (1998-2021). He is mostly concerned about environment pollution and water quality and impact on fish resources. Diaa is involved in aquaculture and fisheries training programs to teach participants how to produce more affordable and nutritious food from sustainable fish farming. He led the WorldFish Egypt’s research on fish feeds and nutrition through the Global FISH CRP and is enthusiastic of teaching farmers and student’s the best farming practices.