Page 22 - Respond 2020 Magazine
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RESPOND
        SKRETTING

        Skretting is the global leader in providing innovative                                                                    HOW AQUACULTURE
        and sustainable nutritional solutions for the
        aquaculture industry. It has production facilities in 19
        countries, employs 3,500 people, and manufactures                                                                         FEEDS CONTRIBUTE
        and delivers high quality feeds from hatching to
        harvest for more than 60 species. In 2018, Skretting
        produced 2.3 million tonnes of aquaculture feeds. Its                                                                     TO FEEDING THE FUTURE
        head office is in Stavanger, Norway.




              quaculture is critical to global nutritional
              security. Commercial fishing can only meet
        Aso much of our seafood requirements. In
        most cases, capture fisheries have long lingered
        at or above their maximum sustainable yield
        – providing a combined 93 million tonnes. At
        the same time, climate change is increasingly
        contributing to the decline of fish and shellfish
        biomass. Therefore the onus is on aquaculture to
        supply progressively larger volumes to fill the void.

        Fortunately, it has been rising to the challenge. Indeed                                                Photo credit Skretting.
        aquaculture is one of the food sector’s greatest success
        stories of recent decades, with the human consumption
        of farmed fish and shrimp first eclipsing products from
        wild fisheries some four years ago. To give some context,
        in 1974, aquaculture’s contribution to world seafood
        consumption was just 7%. And, according to the Food and
        Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the   principal endeavour is the reduced dependence on fishmeal
        output continues to grow faster than any other major food   and fish oil. While these are among the most nutritious and
        supply sector. By 2030 it’s expected to provide 60% of the   digestible ingredients for aquaculture feeds and species,
        seafood that the human race consumes. A key reason for   in coming from wild-capture fisheries, they’re also finite                                                                                                                Photo credit Skretting.
        aquaculture’s incredible momentum is that most of what it   resources, with availability and prices that are prone to
        produces is destined for human consumption – in all, some   dramatic fluctuations. In 2010, through its own focus on this
        580 species or aquatic species groups. At the same time, it’s   particular challenge, Skretting introduced its MicroBalance
        the most efficient protein generator – converting more feed   concept. This groundbreaking technology led to the creation
        into edible product than other farmed animals. Such progress   of aquafeeds independent of marine raw materials but which
        has made a massive contribution to the global fish supply,   still provide optimised fish growth and health.
        which the FAO now estimates at a record 20kg per capita.
                                                            Fast forward to today, and Skretting remains at the forefront
        Increasing availability                             of the sector – providing a number of pioneering fish                 Skretting is also a lead partner in the new FEED-X programme   than most other regions over the coming decades, Skretting
        Much of aquaculture’s expansion can be attributed to a   farmers with feeds that contain no fishmeal or fish oil, while   that aims to remove the barriers to sustainably fed, affordable   has identified that increased aquaculture productivity at
        thriving feed sector – a hotbed of innovation that’s particularly   also working with value chain partners to establish their   food by 2030 through the sourcing, testing, financing and   local levels will help meet the inevitable rising food needs.
        adept to overcoming potential boundaries. In this regard, a   commercial viability.                                       scaling-up of alternative ingredients into the global feed   Last year, as part of its commitment to develop African
                                                                                                                                  industry, starting with aquaculture. To date, most emerging   aquaculture, Skretting signed an MOU with non-profit
                                                                                                                                  alternatives have fallen into three areas: algae oils containing   research organisation WorldFish that aims to understand
                                                                                                                                  essential long-chain omega-3 fatty acids; proteins based on   the structure of the local industry, and then improve its
                                                                                                                                  different insect species; and protein from bacteria. In addition   farming practices. Starting with Egypt and then Zambia, the
                                                                                                                                  to delivering nutritional benefits and performance on par with   collaborative project is working with fish farmers to develop
                                                                                                                                  traditional ingredients, FEED-X mandates the solutions must   best management practices, test new technologies and raise
                                                                                                                                  be available at workable prices for aquaculture operations,   harvests and efficiency. Crucially, results will be shared with
                                                                                                                                  and that manufacturing processes cannot lead to negative   governments and other policymakers to illustrate the benefits
                                                                                                                                  environmental or social impacts.                    of improving aquaculture best-practice on a national scale.
                                                                                                                                  Sharing expertise                                   It is through initiatives such as these that Skretting intends
                                                                                                                                  Concurrently, Skretting has been broadening its     to support aquaculture’s evolution in what is a new food
                                                                                                                                  geographical horizons. Strategically, as more regions of   world, where climate change and other megatrends are
                                                                                                                                  the world engage in responsible aquaculture production,   incrementally transforming the planet, including the
                                                                                                                                  Skretting has been on hand to ensure local farmers have   disruption of ecosystems and supply chains,” says Skretting
                                                                                                                                  all the necessary support for their production systems to   CEO Therese Log Bergjord. “Aquaculture promises to be an
                                                                                                                                  succeed. All of these operations are bound by the company’s   increasingly prominent contributor to global food security –
                                                                                                                                  global mission of ‘Feeding the Future’.             providing safe, healthy and delicious protein for a population
                                                                                                                                                                                      that’s on course to exceed 9.7 billion by 2050.”
                                                                                                                                  Looking ahead, with the populations of some African
                                                                                                                                  countries forecast to expand at considerably faster rates   www.skretting.com

                                                      Skretting community development projects in Zambia. Photo credit Skretting.
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