FUNAAB Scholars Forge Global Collaboration on Climate-Smart Aquaculture at UNESP, Brazil

Researchers from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Nigeria, are advancing international partnerships in climate-smart aquaculture through a research and capacity-building visit to the Centre of Aquaculture, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Brazil.

The delegation, including Dr. Mathew Wheto, Dr. Ikililu Abdulraheem, and Dr. Oluwaseun Ojelade, participated under the UK–Brazil–Africa Climate-Smart Agriculture Innovation Programme, a collaboration designed to enhance scientific cooperation and knowledge exchange among leading institutions in Nigeria, Brazil, and the United Kingdom.

During the visit, FUNAAB scholars toured UNESP’s world-class aquaculture facilities, interacting with fish reproduction, health and welfare laboratories, nutrition and feed development units, and limnology systems. The hands-on exposure provided practical insights into integrated aquaculture models emphasizing sustainability, animal welfare, and productivity amidst climate variability.

The lessons learned are particularly relevant to tropical aquaculture systems in Nigeria, where climate pressures pose ongoing challenges to food production and aquatic ecosystems. By adopting adaptive strategies gleaned from UNESP’s research approaches, Nigerian aquaculture can enhance resilience, productivity, and sustainability.

This engagement is part of a broader project coordinated by Harper Adams University, UK, titled: “Building Collaborative Research Partnerships in Fish Breeding, Health and Welfare Management to Enhance Sustainability, Productivity and Resilience of Aquaculture Production in Nigeria.”

The initiative reinforces FUNAAB’s international profile, showcasing its commitment to applied research, capacity building, and global partnerships that strengthen sustainable food systems and advance climate-smart aquaculture in Africa.