By the Programme Director (AquaPolis)
Last month, I had the chance to join our colleagues from the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation (SAFEF) on a four-day study trip to Guangdong Province, and the experience was both eye-opening and energising. Our goal was to better understand how aquaculture companies there are approaching land-based RAS production for white shrimp and high-value freshwater and marine fish species — and what we might learn from them.
Learning from a Mature Aquaculture Landscape
Over the course of the trip, we visited a mix of seed production facilities, RAS system manufacturers, shrimp farms, and even a large vertically integrated enterprise that manages everything from seed to feed. Seeing these operations up close gave me a clearer picture of how well developed and diverse Guangdong’s aquaculture ecosystem is. It was also encouraging to me that many of these enterprises expressed strong interest in developing deep technical cooperation with Singapore.
One useful aspect of the trip was being able to observe indoor, outdoor, and hybrid farming models. Each setup has its own strengths and limitations, and the range of production approaches gave us a better sense of how technology adoption varies across different environments and farm scales.
We also encountered a number of productised technologies already in commercial use, including AI-enabled shrimp-farming tools capable of monitoring feeding behaviour and supporting more precise and efficient farm management. These tools highlight the increasing commercial availability of digital solutions with immediate relevance to producers.
Looking Ahead: Strengthening Collaboration
Based on the positive engagements throughout the trip, I believe there is strong potential for continued collaboration. Our team is exploring the possibility of organising a reciprocal visit and a knowledge-sharing workshop in Singapore to introduce practical technologies that would meet our local farmers’ needs, open discussions on collaboration and business opportunities, and connect Guangdong and Singapore’s aquaculture communities more closely.
