An Oasis of Life to Be Built in the Desert of Sahara of Algeria

·         National Fisheries Research & Development Institute (NFRDI, President Mr. Kim Young Man) announced that it will promote “Sahara Project”, which aims to build a shrimp farming facility in the barren field of Sahara.

·         The Sahara project is planned to last from 2011 through 2015 with a fund of 6 million dollar offered as ODA from Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). To implement the project, NFRDI will take responsibilities for the project design, expert dispatch, lab training and experimentation for shrimp farming.  

·         The project will be promoted in three phases; the first is to launch the project in May 2011 to complete construction of the shrimp farming facility by 2012; the second is to try experimentation of the shrimp farming by 2013; and the third is to transfer the mass production technology by 2014.   

·         The idea was born from the scientific understanding that the abundantly available underground water of low salinity in oasis of Sahara Desert would make it possible to farm

shrimp there.

·         For project feasibility analysis, a Korean expert team headed by Dr. Jang In Kwon of NFRDI visited Algeria for twice in February and June 2010, concluding that the underground water of Ouargla would be allowable for the shrimp farming.   

·         It is expected that the Sahara project would contribute not only to the construction of the shrimp farm but would be accompanied by support of farming equipments and experts and farming technology, ultimately giving a boost for the fishery industry in Algeria.

·         It is also expected that the project would serve as a momentum for “Horizon 2025”, the Algerian government’s long-term policy for fishery and aquaculture, producing significant economic effects including job creation and income boosting.

·         NFRDI has been so far since 2008 carrying out transfer of Korea’s advanced aquaculture technology to three African countries, Algeria, Tunisia and Senegal. 

·         Earlier, NFRDI got a positive response from the government of Algeria for its technological transfer of shrimp farming in Skikda, not desert. 

·         For other cases, the institute is currently promoting technological transfer for seed production and hanging culture method of oyster in Bizerta, Tuinisia and for construction of aquaculture research center in Zoal, Senegal.

·         It is hoped that the technology transfer will contribute to maintaining favorable mutual relationship between Korea and Algeria and serve as an opportunity for another leaping forward in Korea’s fishery and aquaculture.