Dr Melba B. Reantaso, former FAO team leader, Fisheries and Aquaculture Division (NFI), will be the plenary speaker at World Aquaculture Safari 2025, which will take place in Uganda from June 24-27.
With a distinguished background in aquatic organism health management and aquaculture biosecurity, including coordination of various workforce development and research projects on aquatic animal health and biosecurity in Africa and globally, Reantaso is a renowned and revered figure in Africa’s aquaculture domain. Her keynote address will focus on insights and perspectives on what Africa needs to do to improve its aquatic biosecurity management through risk-based, collaborative and progressive approaches to safeguard human health, the environment and national economies in the face of a rapidly changing world.
Reantaso has close to 30 years of combined experience in research, training, diagnostics, extension and international aid and development work on aquaculture, management of health of aquatic organisms and biosecurity. She retired early as senior aquaculturist in 2002 after 18 years of government service at the Fish Health Section of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Reantaso worked for the Network of Aquaculture Centre in Asia and the Pacific (NACA, Bangkok, Thailand) from 1999-2002 as Regional Aquatic Animal Health (AAH) specialist and coordinator of an FAO project with 21 countries participating that resulted to the establishment of aquatic animal health programme of NACA. At that time, she also led the investigation of koi herpes virus in Indonesia.
She moved to the U.S. and worked from 2002-2004 at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory, a fish health laboratory shared by MD/DNR and NOAA, responsible for the histopathological analyses from an active surveillance for oyster diseases. She joined FAO in 2004 and led international disease investigation task forces on epizootic ulcerative syndrome in Botswana, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Malawi; white spot syndrome virus of shrimp in Mozambique and Madagascar; and acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease in Vietnam.
Her work in Africa included national and regional aquatic organism health strategy development, training courses on risk analysis, emergency preparedness and active surveillance for EUS and tilapia lake virus.
A highly accomplished expert in aquatic animal diseases, she possesses extensive academic credentials and a distinguished career in international aquaculture development and biosecurity, currently leading FAO's work in this critical area.
The plenary session of the World Aquaculture Safari 2025 Conference will take place during the opening ceremony on June 25, 2025, at 9:00 AM (Uganda time) and will focus on the event theme “Aquaculture on the Rise”. About 2,000 participants from around the world are expected at the Conference.
In addition to regular program topics of interest to African and global aquaculture, the event will continue to feature unparalleled educational and networking opportunities, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and information. Exciting field trips and touristic adventures are being planned around Lake Victoria and Uganda. Registration and submission of abstracts is open.
Find more information here or contact worldaqua@was.org or africanchapter@was.org.
