SFA, SIT to set up new center to research better aquafeed

High-quality aquafeeds include those that can incorporate fishmeal alternatives such as single-cell proteins derived from waste streams or insect-based proteins, as well as feeds with functional additives such as probiotics that can improve fish health and survival rates.

Improving productivity through better inputs

Feed quality can affect production costs and profit margins as well as the quality of the fish.

Speaking at World Aquaculture Singapore 2026 on June 3, Janil Puthucheary, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, said the growth of aquaculture must increasingly be driven by improving productivity through better inputs.

“This would enable us to produce more with less within tighter land, resource and environmental constraints. High-yield, input-driven productivity is therefore central to building an aquaculture sector that is resilient and ready for the challenges ahead,” he added.

SFA’s role

SFA will provide technical expertise, industry networks and resources to support F2TC’s development and help anchor a pipeline of industry projects.

Technical expertise from SFA’s Marine Aquaculture Center can support research and development in feed formulation and feed extrusion, a process used to manufacture high-quality aquafeed.

SIT’s role

Meanwhile, SIT’s strength in extrusion process engineering, applied industry research, digitalization and AI-driven modelling are relevant to advancing feed innovation.

For example, SIT will use artificial intelligence and digital technology to study how quickly fish notice, approach and accept a feed.

Howard Tang, SIT’s Assistant Professor, who leads the initiative, said F2TC can help local farmers lower their operational costs by developing higher performance feed, which farmers will need less of to grow their fish.

Feed can account for about 60% or more of total production cost, he added.

The center hopes to work with partners, including local farms and institutes of higher learning, on 10 projects in the next five years, Mr Tang said.

Ken Cheong, Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation Chief Executive said trials conducted at F2TC will allow farms in Singapore to test the new feed formulas and improve their productivity.

To be a regional hub for aquaculture research and development

Asia accounts for 90% of global aquaculture production, allowing the center to play a significant role in addressing structural challenges, including climate change and disease. It also aims to be a regional hub for aquaculture research and development, especially in warm-water species nutrition.

F2TC will also partner Clextral, a global leader in twin screw extrusion technology, on capability building and training.

Funding top-up

Besides the establishment of the center, Mr Puthucheary also announced a research and development funding top-up of USD 6.3 million to the AquaPolis Program to enhance marine tilapia aquaculture in Singapore.

This brings total funding for the research program, which focuses on three fish species, to close to USD 25 million. This new tranche will improve marine tilapia production through selective breeding, enabling better growth rates, disease resistance and saline tolerance, he added.

The new tranche will also help to develop genetic traceability tools to verify strains sold under The Straits Fish, which is an aggregated brand for locally farmed marine tilapia. This will help to counter fake claims by other brands.

Tilapia sold under the brand are farmed using sustainable methods that do not harm the marine environment.