Prof. Dr. Rex Ferdinand M. Traifalgar of the Institute of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS-IA), UP Visayas delivered a Plenary Lecture on science-based technological solutions to lessen the impacts of climate change on food security through aquaculture in the 2nd International Conference for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Management (CCA-DRRM).
With the theme “Advancing Partnership in Climate Action for Sustainable Development in the ASEAN Region,” the conference was held at Amari Don Muang Airport Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand on May 29 to June 2, 2023 to discuss issues brought about by climate change.
Traifalgar, an expert in nutritional immunology, delivered a plenary speech at the conference. His talk titled “Bioactive feed ingredients and supplements for aquaculture in challenging climatic conditions” tackled the significance of sustainable bioactive feed production through biotechnology in alleviating the impacts of climate change.
“Expectations are high for aquaculture to contribute a sustainable supply of food fish but currently, as the weather and climate undergo erratic changes, its impacts on aquaculture including the emergence of diseases, shortage of feed material and degradation of water resources threaten the sustainability and economic viability of this industry,” Traifalgar stressed.
The paper mainly focused on the discovery, development, and practical application of bioactive feed supplements that could improve stress tolerance, disease resistance, and resilience of cultured aquatic organisms to climatic stressors.
Traifalgar also presented how the natural and organic feed additives derived from marine seaweeds, aquatic microorganisms, and fermented by-products can be utilized to mitigate the impact of climate change on aquaculture production. These natural bioactive compounds could be used to boost growth, activate metabolism, and improve stress and disease resistance of cultured aquatic animals making these farmed animals resilient to the negative impacts associated with erratic climatic conditions.
Aimed to promote advances in technological solutions and approaches to CCA and DRR for sustainable development in the ASEAN region, the conference was hosted by the International Organization on Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Management (IO-CCADRRM) and Isabela State University (ISU).
The conference was also made possible through a collaboration with the Cagayan Valley Agriculture, Aquaculture and Research, Resources and Development (CVAARRD), National Taiwan University (NTU), National Taiwan Ocean University (NTOU), Kyoto University-Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Japan ASEAN Science Technology and Innovation Platform, Thuy Loi University, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST), Kasetsart University, Asian Institute of Technology, University of Malaysi, Da Nang University, Royal University of Phnom Penh, Cagayan River Basin Management Council, River Basin Control Office-DENR and National Irrigation Administration. (With sources from CFOS-IA)
