Tanzania’s Great Lakes fisheries researchers, affiliated with the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute (TAFIRI), are experiencing enhanced efficiency in water quality monitoring and eco-environmental studies. This positive shift follows the receipt of cutting-edge research equipment donated by the Chinese government through the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences in April 2023.
Baraka Sekadende, Director of TAFIRI’s Mwanza center, expressed the institute’s newfound ease in conducting research, particularly in monitoring water quality in the Great Lakes. The state-of-the-art equipment, including microscopes, spectrophotometers, and deionized water generators, has significantly facilitated research activities in Lake Victoria, the world’s second-largest freshwater lake.
Lake Victoria plays a crucial role as a water source for fisheries, aquaculture, and domestic use in various regions. Ismael Kimirei, the Director General of TAFIRI, highlighted the instrumental role of the donated equipment in a strategic environmental assessment for the “Building Better Tomorrow for Livestock and Fisheries Entrepreneurs” (BBT-LIFE) initiative. This initiative aims to enhance youth participation in livestock and fisheries entrepreneurship.
Kimirei emphasized the timeliness of the equipment, citing its contribution to successful sampling campaigns and the generation of valuable data. The outcomes of the strategic environmental assessment in Lake Victoria will aid the government in advising on the best practices for managing cage fish farming in the lake.
The collaboration between TAFIRI and the Nanjing Institute of Geography and Limnology dates back to 2008, resulting in numerous joint projects and research articles. To strengthen this partnership, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries in Tanzania signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Science and Technology of China in July 2023. This agreement aims to establish a joint laboratory benefiting both Chinese and Tanzanian researchers and others in the Lake Victoria region.
Ismael Kimirei outlined TAFIRI’s vision of becoming a center of excellence in fisheries and aquaculture research in the Eastern and Southern Africa region, emphasizing the necessity of advanced equipment to achieve this goal.
