USSEC Experts Highlight the Role of Capacity Building, Feed Innovation, and Technology Transfer in Advancing Egypt’s Aquaculture Sector
CAIRO, Egypt — Egypt has become one of the world’s leading aquaculture producers, supplying affordable animal protein to millions while supporting thousands of livelihoods. Yet as production continues to grow, industry leaders say the sector’s future success will depend less on expanding farm area and more on strengthening technical expertise, improving feed efficiency, and accelerating the adoption of best management practices.
During AquaCON conference, held on July 9 and organized by the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) in collaboration with WorldFish Egypt, Kevin Roepke, Executive Director for the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) at USSEC, and Dr. Morgan Cheatham, USSEC’s Director of Aquaculture, outlined how strategic partnerships, workforce development, and science-based nutrition are helping build a more productive and sustainable aquaculture industry across the region.
Investing in Human Capital
For Roepke, one of the industry’s greatest challenges is not technology—it is people.
Through the Soy Excellence Center (SEC), established in Egypt through a partnership between USSEC and WorldFish, the organization is investing in workforce development by providing practical training for students and early- to mid-career professionals.
“The initiative really addresses the core constraint of talent and human capital in fast-growing sectors,” Roepke said. “We are focusing heavily on executing theory into practice—ensuring that what participants learn in college and within the SEC is directly transferred to the farms, the ponds, and the feed mills for the betterment of nutritional security in Egypt and beyond.”
Unlike traditional training programmes, the SEC extends learning beyond the classroom. Participants become part of an online professional community where they exchange technical knowledge, engage with industry experts, and continue developing their skills through an interactive platform that rewards active participation.
The model is already producing results. In 2025, Egyptian participant Ahmed Dorgham was recognised as one of only three global recipients of the SEC Star Award, demonstrating how continuous learning and industry engagement can help develop future leaders for the animal protein sector.
Why Feed Quality Begins with Raw Materials
While feed formulation often focuses on nutrient composition, Roepke explained that the physical quality and consistency of raw materials are equally important.
He said
U.S. Soy offers a competitive advantage through their consistent quality, achieved through natural sun drying that reduces damage and enhances digestibility, providing feed manufacturers with a reliable ingredient that helps improve feed performance while supporting sustainability objectives.
Together, these characteristics provide feed manufacturers with a more consistent ingredient, helping improve feed performance while supporting increasingly important sustainability objectives.
Consistency Supports Better Farm Performance
As one of the world’s largest producers of farmed tilapia, Egypt depends on reliable feed ingredients that allow manufacturers to formulate diets with confidence.
According to Dr. Morgan Cheatham, consistency is one of the greatest strengths of U.S. soy.
“U.S. soy, in particular, has very high digestibility coefficients and is a readily available, very consistent product,” she said. “That, in turn, helps feed formulators formulate with consistency. You’re not constantly having to change your inputs and create operational complexity as a result.”
She noted that sustainability has also become an increasingly important consideration for global seafood markets.
Through the Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP), U.S. soy provides independently verified sustainability credentials that support responsible sourcing, lower carbon footprints, and greater supply chain transparency—qualities that are becoming increasingly valuable to seafood buyers, financial institutions, and export markets.
Dr. Cheatham also highlighted the importance of communicating the stories behind agricultural production.
“The farm is romantic,” she said, noting that sharing farmers’ experiences helps strengthen consumer confidence while demonstrating the people and practices behind sustainable food production.
Technology Is Only as Effective as Its Management
As producers seek higher productivity from limited land and water resources, advanced production systems continue attracting attention. However, both speakers stressed that technology should build upon strong farm management rather than replace it.
USSEC has supported the introduction of In-Pond Raceway Systems (IPRS) in Egypt, but Dr. Cheatham cautioned that intensification requires careful planning and technical capacity.
“More intensive systems come with a higher degree of risk,” she said. “There is no reason to spend money on an intensifying technology if you are unable to manage a traditional pond optimally first.”
Before investing in more sophisticated production systems, producers can often achieve meaningful improvements by adopting lower-cost technology such as aeration systems or automated feeders, and implementing stronger day-to-day pond management practices that improve efficiency while reducing operational risks.
Turning Research into Better Decisions
Beyond training, USSEC is working directly with producers to translate research into practical farm management.
Through feed benchmarking trials conducted under commercial farming conditions, farmers and feed manufacturers are able to compare feed performance, evaluate management strategies, and make evidence-based decisions.
“Farms should be doing benchmarking trials all the time anyway,” Dr. Cheatham said.
“We look at it from a systemic, integrated perspective to help farmers and feed formulators make data-driven decisions regarding feed formulation and specific soy inclusion rates in tilapia diets, as well as farm-level feed management. You can have the best feed in the world, but if you’re not managing it well at the pond level, it doesn’t matter.”
By combining scientific research with on-farm demonstrations, USSEC aims to ensure that technical recommendations translate into measurable improvements in commercial production.
Building the Next Chapter of Egyptian Aquaculture
The long-term strategy is already reflected in trade figures. Egypt has become the world’s second-largest importer of U.S. soybeans, with imports increasing by more than 50 percent year over year.
Roepke attributes this growth to three interconnected factors: strong partnerships with organizations such as WorldFish and the Government of Egypt, continued investment by U.S. soybean farmers in workforce development through the Soy Excellence Center, and the consistent quality and nutritional value of U.S. soybeans.
Looking ahead, he believes sustainability certification represents another major opportunity for Egypt’s aquaculture industry.
“There is a great opportunity for expansion and potential, especially within the aquaculture sector as it seeks to become more export-oriented by embracing and developing sustainability protocols,” Roepke said.
The future of Egyptian aquaculture is not defined by technology alone. Its long-term success will depend on empowering skilled professionals, strengthening partnerships, applying science-based management, and ensuring that innovation reaches producers in practical and meaningful ways. As the sector continues to evolve, investing in people may prove to be its most valuable resource.
USSEC Experts Highlight the Role of Capacity Building, Feed Innovation, and Technology Transfer in Advancing Egypt’s Aquaculture Sector
