Recently, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced the list of the second batch of projects in 2022 of the National Key Research and Development Program “Intergovernmental Cooperation in International Science and Technology Innovation”. The project “Comparison of Salt-tolerant Growth of Different Tilapia and Selective Breeding of New Salt-tolerant Strains (SQ2022YFE011461)” declared by the Freshwater Fisheries Research Center was approved. This project is FFRC’s first key special project of the national key research and development plan “Intergovernmental Cooperation in International Science and Technology Innovation”, which is led by FFRC and carried out jointly with the Suez Canal University in Egypt.

The leaders of FFRC and Dept. of International Cooperation and Education of FFRC have provided guidance and assistance through the whole process of the project application

This project has been listed as one of the key tasks of the “China-Africa Joint Center for Modern Agrotechnology Exchange, Demonstration and Training (Jiangsu)” from 2023 to 2025, which aims to explore the important tilapia germplasm resources in Egypt, select suitable species for marine aquaculture, selective breed new strains of salt-tolerant and fast-growing tilapia, promote tilapia mariculture, upgrade the quality of Egyptian tilapia, and optimize the supply and intensive processing industry of high-yield and high-quality fish protein.

Since 2011, China and Egypt have carried out long-term good cooperation in aquatic scientific research cooperation and talent training. With the support of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and other ministries and commissions and international organizations, FFRC has trained more than 60 fishery professionals for Suez Canal University, and provided support for the design and planning, infrastructure construction and faculty training of the University’s College of Aquatic Sciences.

The implementation of this project will further promote the upgrading of tilapia industry in China and Egypt and help deepen the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Egypt.

The project team members of China and Egypt discussed and consulted on the joint application of the project through online conference