Basmatuk Agricultural Company: a Tunisian-Saudi journey in aquaculture –
Aquaculture success is never the result of one person alone.
Behind every productive farm is a combination of technical knowledge, investment, infrastructure, teamwork, management and daily commitment. The story of Basmatuk Agricultural Company offers an inspiring example of how these elements can come together across borders. Established in 2024, Basmatuk Agricultural Company (شركة بصمتك الزراعية) is developing its activities around innovative and sustainable agricultural solutions, including a dedicated focus on tilapia aquaculture.
At the centre of this journey is Kawthar Rojbani, a Tunisian aquaculture professional contributing her technical experience to the project. But this is not an individual journey.
It is a team effort, built on the confidence of the company in Tunisian expertise and supported by a Saudi team working alongside her, with the facilities, equipment and resources required to develop the operation.
From vision to production
The project has been developing step by step.
The first stages involved preparing the ponds, filling them with water and establishing aeration systems to create suitable conditions for fish production.
The project then progressed through the reception and acclimation of fingerlings, feeding and growth monitoring, before moving further into the hatchery component.
Tilapia broodstock are now part of the production process, with fertilized eggs collected from females and transferred to incubators under controlled conditions. This represents an important step toward strengthening the production cycle and developing healthy fry.
And today, another milestone has been reached: tilapia of 450 grams and above are reaching the harvesting and marketing stage.
Behind this achievement are months of coordinated work involving feeding, water-quality management, fish health, growth monitoring and day-to-day technical management.
Tunisian expertise, Saudi support
What makes this story particularly meaningful is the partnership behind it.
Kawthar brings professional experience from the Tunisian aquaculture sector, but she is working within a Saudi operational environment and alongside a Saudi team.
The company has provided the infrastructure, resources and working environment necessary for the technical team to implement the production programme.
This is precisely what makes successful international cooperation possible: trust in expertise combined with strong local support and teamwork.
It is not about one country providing all the answers.
It is about bringing different strengths together.
- Tunisian technical know-how.
- Saudi investment and local capacity.
- A committed operational team.
- And a shared objective: building a successful aquaculture operation.
More than producing fish
The importance of a project like Basmatuk goes beyond the fish currently being produced.
Every new aquaculture operation is also an opportunity to build technical capacity, practical experience and professional knowledge.
The people involved learn from the realities of the production environment, adapt techniques to local conditions and develop solutions together.
This is particularly important in aquaculture, where biological systems cannot simply be copied from one location to another. Species performance, water conditions, climate, infrastructure and management practices all require continuous observation and adaptation.
That is why people and teamwork remain at the heart of aquaculture development.
A story of cooperation
The Basmatuk journey also illustrates the growing value of professional connections between Tunisia and Saudi Arabia.
Tunisian aquaculture professionals have developed experience across hatchery production, fish farming, technical management and sustainable aquaculture development. At the same time, Saudi Arabia is investing in the development of its aquaculture sector and creating opportunities for new projects and professional partnerships.
When these two dimensions meet, the result can be more than technology transfer.
It can become knowledge exchange and co-development.
Kawthar’s contribution is part of this wider story: a Tunisian professional working with a Saudi team, supported by a company that has trusted her expertise and provided the conditions necessary for the project to progress.
From 450-gram fish to a bigger vision
The arrival of market-size tilapia is an important milestone, but it is not the end of the story.
The development of broodstock management, egg collection, incubation, fingerling production and grow-out creates the foundations for continued development.
Step by step, the project is moving from individual production activities toward a more integrated aquaculture operation.
And perhaps the most valuable lesson is simple: Successful aquaculture is built by teams. It requires the right people, the right conditions, the right resources and the willingness to learn and adapt together.
From Tunisia to Northern Saudi Arabia, Basmatuk is becoming an example of what can happen when technical competence is trusted, local teams are empowered and different experiences come together around a shared vision.
Different countries. Different experiences. One team working toward the same goal: building a stronger future for aquaculture.
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Activity | Kawthar ROJBANI | LinkedIn
Basmatuk Agricultural Company: a Tunisian-Saudi journey in aquaculture
