The aquaculture partnership had an eventful week in Bangladesh this September, and tropical storms couldn’t even stop them!

The public-private partnership between Dutch and Bangladeshi companies, named FoodTechBangladesh, has been established to enhance the technical capabilities of fish breeders and farmers in Bangladesh, by demonstrating best practices and transferring know-how (e.g. by providing training programs). Co-financed by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, the public-private partnership has been able to promote sustainable growth and knowledge transfer in aquaculture throughout the country.

Success #1 | Opening solar-powered aquaculture Centre of Excellence

On 21 September in Cox’s Bazar, De Heus and local partner FishTech cut the ribbon on a fully solar-powered Centre of Excellence built around an In-Pond Raceway System (IPRS), the first of this scale in the region, where high-quality fish and shrimp will be raised and farmers trained in best practices. The eventful inauguration even overcame a tropical storm due to the excellent preparation and flexibility of local partner FishTech (BD) Limited. 

“This project is about delivering high-quality fish nutrition and enabling the right infrastructure in Bangladesh to support the production of premium aquaculture products,” said Johan van de Ban, CEO of De Heus Vietnam and Asia, hailing the Cox’s Bazar opening as an important milestone in a deepening Dutch–Bangladeshi collaboration.

The launch brought together the Dutch ambassador in Dhaka, Joris van Bommel, and Ms Farida Akhter, honourable adviser at Bangladesh’s Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, who both framed the centre as a marker of how public–private partnerships can speed sustainable growth and knowledge transfer in aquaculture.

Outlining the government’s vision, Ms Akhter stressed the need for sustainable expansion that benefits farmers and entrepreneurs alike, arguing that the centre will lift productivity, spur innovation and support farmer welfare across the sector.

Success #2 | Centre of Excellence in Khulna in full swing

Ever since the facility was inaugurated last year, farmers experience first-hand the benefits of the Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) technology, designed by Dutch company Viqon Water Solutions. In a context where aquaculture productivity in Bangladesh is traditionally low, this RAS system shows how modern technology can dramatically increase production output, water and feed efficiency, and biosecurity. Thus providing a strong business case for farmers and investors.

Last week, our colleagues Laura Derks and Rogier Becker joined one of the training sessions at the Centre, which has become a hub for farmers in the Khulna region. The curriculum was developed jointly by our partners Royal De Heus, Fishtech (BD) Limited, GEMINI SEAFOOD LLC, Viqon Water Solutions and LightCastle Partners. To date, 73 farmers have been trained at the Centre, with notably strong participation by women, and demand is growing every week.

“The farmers’ eagerness to learn is remarkable, applications exceed capacity and their enthusiasm and questions show true commitment to improve.” – Rogier Becker

Succes #3 | Three MoUs signed with leading retailers and offtakers

An important milestone for the FoodTechBangladesh partnership: three Memoranda of Understanding have been signed with key retailers in Bangladesh:

• Shameem Ahmed Jaigirder (COO, Meena Bazaar.
• Tanvir Sifat (Executive Director, Direct Fresh).
• and Nadim Hossain FCMA (Bengal Meat Processing Industries Ltd.).

A special thanks to these partners for their commitment to collaborating with the partnership and for supporting the development and professionalisation of the aquaculture sector in Bangladesh. We look forward to taking the next steps together to strengthen value chains and deliver fresh, high-quality fish to the local market.

All in all, inspiring moments that show how FoodTechBangladesh continues to drive sustainable growth, from laboratory testing and IPRS installation to scaling production and expanding into international markets. Only together can we truly build stronger, more professional and more sustainable value chains in Bangladesh’s aquaculture sector.