While aquaculture is a growing industry in Bangladesh, prevailing disease outbreaks in farmed fish and shrimp populations limit the sector’s capacity. Bacterial and viral diseases result in large die-offs, low yields, and loss of income for many of the country’s vulnerable aquatic food farmers. To detect initial outbreaks and mitigate the losses, WorldFish opened the country’s first-ever aquatic animal disease diagnostic laboratory in support of small-scale aquaculture farmers.

The newly inaugurated laboratory, a joint venture between WorldFish and Fishtech BD Ltd, uses RT-PCR technology to detect and diagnose eleven infection types that threaten fish and shrimp populations. The laboratory offers its testing services to hatchery operators and fish farmers at the minimum rate.

Funding for the laboratory was received from the USAID’s Feed the Future Bangladesh Aquaculture Activity, which aims to support the country’s small-scale aquaculture sector and increase its resilience, bolstering the income of aquatic food value chain actors and strengthening livelihoods.

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