Executive summary: AWASH reports completing scoping research, engaging farmers through a national conference, and beginning a pilot egg disinfection intervention in Ghanaian tilapia hatcheries, with early progress suggesting both feasibility and potential for high welfare impact while further evaluation is underway.
Key points:
AWASH conducted scoping visits to eight Ghanaian fish farms, exceeding its initial target, which informed the decision to pilot egg disinfection as a high-impact intervention.
The organization presented at the Aquaculture Ghana Conference to 30–40 farmers, with survey respondents reporting the session as useful and helping AWASH build relationships with key stakeholders.
Egg disinfection was selected because juvenile fish have low survival rates (around 45–65%), are relatively neglected in welfare efforts, and existing research suggests survival could increase to 90% or more.
One large farm producing just under 1% of Ghana’s national tilapia output agreed to pilot the intervention, increasing both potential direct impact and social proof for wider adoption.
AWASH learned that leveraging trusted local relationships was critical for access to farms, and that initial timelines were overly ambitious given scoping and seasonal constraints.
Next steps include monitoring the three-month pilot, continuing stakeholder engagement, and researching alternative interventions in case evidence supports a pivot.
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Executive summary: AWASH reports completing scoping research, engaging farmers through a national conference, and beginning a pilot egg disinfection intervention in Ghanaian tilapia hatcheries, with early progress suggesting both feasibility and potential for high welfare impact while further evaluation is underway.
Key points:
AWASH conducted scoping visits to eight Ghanaian fish farms, exceeding its initial target, which informed the decision to pilot egg disinfection as a high-impact intervention.
The organization presented at the Aquaculture Ghana Conference to 30–40 farmers, with survey respondents reporting the session as useful and helping AWASH build relationships with key stakeholders.
Egg disinfection was selected because juvenile fish have low survival rates (around 45–65%), are relatively neglected in welfare efforts, and existing research suggests survival could increase to 90% or more.
One large farm producing just under 1% of Ghana’s national tilapia output agreed to pilot the intervention, increasing both potential direct impact and social proof for wider adoption.
AWASH learned that leveraging trusted local relationships was critical for access to farms, and that initial timelines were overly ambitious given scoping and seasonal constraints.
Next steps include monitoring the three-month pilot, continuing stakeholder engagement, and researching alternative interventions in case evidence supports a pivot.
This comment was auto-generated by the EA Forum Team. Feel free to point out issues with this summary by replying to the comment, and contact us if you have feedback.