Scientific objectives and research project

The IJL LIMAQUA (lima means to cultivate in Xhosa, a language from Southern Africa) conducts an interdisciplinary research and training programme to tackle nutritional and sustainability challenges of marine aquaculture and seeks to lay the foundations of a regional centre of excellence in sustainable, nutrition-sensitive marine aquaculture to contribute to food and nutrition security, poverty alleviation, and income creation in the region. More precisely, the project pursues the following specific scientific objectives: Develop sustainable marine aquaculture practices for target species, including research on sustainable culture technologies, sustainable nutrition, welfare and health of farmed organisms and farming systems (i.e. One Health approach) and aquaculture-environment interactions; Develop an integrated approach to marine aquaculture; Develop aquaculture-based food and nutritional products; Provide capacity-building & training; Foster South-South collaborations within Africa, by capitalizing on the tight interconnection between LIMAQUA and AfriMAQUA. LIMAQUA gathers an interdisciplinary team of scientists specializing in biology, biotechnology, socio-economics, food science and human nutrition. The research and training activities are grounded in the Sustainability Science with a multi-actor approach, including academia, government, industry, and civil society.

IRD units involved

• Département Océans, climat et ressources (OCEANS)
• MARBEC
• AMURE
• Département société et santé (SAS)
• QUALISUD
• Département sociétés et mondialisation (SOC)
• SOURCE

Member Institutions

DFFE : Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment

IRD : Institut de recherche pour le développement

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Centre national de la recherche scientifique

Institut Agro

Institut national de recherche pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement

NWU : North-West University

UBO : Université de Bretagne occidentale

UCT : University of Cape Town

University of Fort Hare (UFH) - Afrique du Sud

University of the Western Cape

IFREMER : Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer

RU : Rhodes University

Stellenbosch University

UM : Université de Montpellier

UJ : University of Johannesburg

UP : University of Pretoria

Scientific fields

Sciences animales appliquées (y compris la reproduction animale, les sciences vétérinaires, l'élevage, le bien-être des animaux, l'aquaculture, la pêche, l'entraînement génétique des insectes).

Targeted Sustainable Development Goal(s)

ODD02 - FAIM "ZERO"

ODD12 - CONSOMMATION ET PRODUCTION RESPONSABLES

ODD14 - VIE AQUATIQUE