The collaboration between UEF and KNAU aims to provide an enabling environment for teaching fisheries and aquaculture, at both vocational and bachelor level, by training of trainers, developing teaching and study material and developing the teaching infrastructure at KNAU. The main activities of FishEDU are: 1) training of trainers on fisheries and aquaculture subjects and pedagogics 2) piloting of courses in two newly developed curricula and development of course material 3) establishment of an aquaculture demonstration fish farm and training centre and an e-library.

Team

Professor Raine Kortet, Professor Sari Havu-Nuutinen, University Lecturer Liisa Nurminen, Project Researcher Sofiia Nishaeva, Project Researcher Oksana Skaldina

The primary aim of the research is to analyze the effects of environmental change on vulnerable communities, and to suggest means of coping with this by way of co-management, bearing in mind the underlying power relations involved.

Team

Development of fisheries and aquaculture in the Kyrgyz Republic especially through training. We have trained and educated students in the sector, and area also working on curriculum development with the local universities. In addition we are researching the status of recreational fisheries and the socio-economic status of fisher communities. Research is also focusing on developing the value chain from pond to plate, by training on hygiene and cold-chain management and we are also looking at the logistic chain and identifying gaps and critical points where interventions need to be made. Research is also looking into awareness of fish as a nutritive source of food. We are also researching different processing techniques of fish and product development.

Team

Liisa Nurminen UEF, Heimo Mikkola UEF, Jannina Viljakainen UEF, Bermet Tazhibaeva Kyrgyz National Agrarian University

NexusAsia is a 2-year research project funded by the Academy of Finland. The full name of the project is ‘Water-energy-food nexus: a cross-sectoral analysis of large Asian river basins’. The research thus looks at in analytical and cross-sectoral manner the management of water and related natural resources in large Asian river basins, with a focus on transboundary settings shared by several countries.

Team

Marko Keskinen, Olli Varis, Shokhrukh Jalilov