FishTech initiative to boost food security

Charles Sturt University will lead the FishTech initiative as part of a partnership between Australia and Lao to boost food security and climate resilience in the Mekong region in Southeast Asia. The initiative is part of an expansion of the Mekong Australia Partnership between the Australian Government, the Government of Lao, the Government of Cambodia, and The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, which will focus on the construction of fish passages in water management structures designed to improve rice productivity. With fish providing 60 per cent of all protein consumed by humans in the Mekong Basin, the investment in research in the economic, environmental, and social impacts on the region’s rivers and wetlands is paramount. With involvement from the National University of Laos, local researchers are also developing valuable knowledge and skills.