The Dominican Aquaculture Association (ADOA) and its partners held a workshop on March 23-24 called  “Estrategias para el Desarrollo de la Acuicultura Dominicana 2010-2015.“    The workshop focused on achievements of the earlier strategic planning process and worked to develop a new strategic plan for 2010-2015.    The Organizing Committee was composed of a representative from each of the following institutions and agencies: IDIAF, CONAPROPE, ADOA, CODOPESCA, FAO-RD, University ISA and the TAIWAN Mission.  

 Rafael Pérez Duvergé , the Executive Director of IDIAF – the Dominican Institute for Agriculture and Forestry Research – opened the workshop.    Featured speakers included Dr. James Tidwell, chair of the aquaculture program of Kentucky State University and Dr. Darryl Jory, a professional with the American Soybean Association.  The Public-Private Alliance Foundation was a co-sponsor of the event.  

As a result of presentations to the U.S. Peace Corps staff in January by Maximo Nicolas, President of ADOA,  David Stillman, Executive Director of PPAF and former Peace Corps Volunteers Bill Miller and Dan Mizroch, Peace Corps has agreed to add fish farming as a priority in its future programming and volunteer assignments.  

The workshop included working groups on research, training, finance, marketing, promotion, and quality control.   The working groups developed presentations that are currently being distilled into a report of the meeting and a contribution to the National Strategic Plan. 

 Highlights at the meeting were announcement by the Taiwan Technical Mission and the Agricultural Development Bank of the DR (Bagricola) that a lending program for small farmers had been agreed and would soon begin.  This would be managed by ADOA.  Kentucky State University announced cooperation with IDIAF and others for research and training.  KSU has offered to facilitate exchanges of students and young professionals, both Dominican and from KSU.  The American Soybean Association announced its support for continued seminars and for nutrients for fish stock.

See the Dominican online newspaper El Nuevo Diario for an article on the aquaculture conference.  (en espanol)   Also see PPAF”s blog for March 6. 

Aquaculture Strategic Planning Workshop Participants

 

Ricardo Colon, CODOPESCA, speaking at opening session

Finance Workshop including representatives of the Taiwan Technical Mission and Bagricola (Dominican Agriculturel Bank), with workshop participants

Leaders of ADOA, Technical Mission of Taiwan, PPAF and American Soybean Association