Bangladesh ranks third in global inland open-water fish production and fifth in aquaculture production according to 2022 data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, said a press release.
The sector employs approximately 17 million people, making it one of the country’s most significant sources of livelihood.
Speakers at a recent capacity-building workshop highlighted several critical barriers that must be addressed to ensure sustainable growth in the sector, including limited space and resource constraints in aquaculture, lack of awareness and affordability of high-quality aquatic animal feed, inadequate knowledge of modern farm management practices, scarcity of quality fish seed, food safety and farmer health concerns, poor understanding of post-harvest losses, insufficient modern storage facilities and cold chain infrastructure, transportation and logistical bottlenecks.
These insights were shared during a two-day training programme titled ‘Train the Trainers’ held at the Center of Aquaculture Excellence (COE), Rupsha upazila in Khulna.
The workshop was jointly organised by Larive International, a Netherlands-based consulting firm, and LightCastle Partners, an international consulting firm based in Dhaka.
Held from April 9–10, 2025 the workshop aimed to equip trainers with advanced knowledge and skills in modern aquaculture management.
A total of 20 trainers from partner organisations, including Gemini Sea Food Ltd, Fishtech (BD) Ltd and LightCastle Partners — participated in the programme.
These trainers will go on to train 1,800 fish farmers across Bangladesh.
The event featured expert-led sessions and technical demonstrations by key figures from De Heus Animal Nutrition (Netherlands), including Alexandros Samartzis, Nutrition and Support Director Aqua Vietnam and Asia; Julia Mas Munoz, Regional Manager Nutrition & Support Aqua; Jordi Drietelaar, Export Director Asia;Â Simon Sanguin, Business Development Manager, Laos; Pham Minh Hien (Percy), International Product Manager.
The training emphasised modern farming methods, particularly the Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) — an efficient and eco-friendly approach suited to small-scale ponds and resource-constrained farms.
As part of the broader FoodTechBangladesh project, four Centers of Excellence (COEs) are being established in Khulna, Mymensingh, Cox’s Bazar, and Patuakhali. These centers will serve as regional hubs for technology transfer and hands-on training, integrating cutting-edge Dutch aquaculture solutions.
Funded by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Dhaka, FoodTechBangladesh is a five-year Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative running from September 2022 to August 2027.
The project involves a total investment of €6 million, jointly contributed by Dutch and Bangladeshi partners.
The FoodTechBangladesh consortium includes: Viqon Water Solutions (Netherlands), De Heus Animal Nutrition (Netherlands), Gemini Sea Food Ltd. (Bangladesh), Fishtech Ltd. (Bangladesh).
