In mid-July 2025, Nairobi hosted the first-ever edition of the Animal & Vegan Advocacy (AVA) Summit on the African continent. AVA Kenya was a landmark event for the advancement of sustainable food systems across the region. Ethical Seafood Research was proud to play a prominent role as both a sponsor and an exhibitor, in addition to actively participating in and moderating panels throughout the summit.
Faisal Qureshi, our Kenya Country Director, who is Nairobi-born and bred, perfectly captured the significance of the moment:
“Hosting the AVA Summit in my home country of Kenya, was an incredibly proud moment. The event brought together like-minded leaders, innovators and stakeholders in animal welfare, plant-based food systems and sustainable agriculture, showcasing Africa’s growing influence in these sectors. As someone passionate about the improvement of animal welfare in the region, seeing global experts gather in Nairobi to discuss critical issues was both inspiring and motivating.”
The summit provided a platform to spotlight Africa’s unique opportunities and challenges in improving animal welfare — particularly in sectors such as aquaculture that are rapidly growing. Unlike established frameworks in the Global North, African nations are navigating these issues within vastly different social, environmental and economic contexts. This makes regionally grounded, context-specific solutions more urgent than ever.
As Faisal noted:
“Discussions on improving animal welfare, reducing environmental impact and upholding farmer livelihood were incredibly valuable. Engaging with stakeholders from across the spectrum served to reinforce my existing belief that unlocking the obstacles for reducing animal suffering in Africa, requires all of us coming together.”
The AVA Kenya Summit proved to be more than a professional gathering; it was a catalyst for change. It facilitated dialogue among advocates, researchers, funders and private sector agents — opening the door to partnerships that can drive meaningful, lasting impact across the region.
Mohamed Bakr, our Egypt Country Director, shared what it meant to represent Ethical Seafood Research on the international stage for the first time:
“AVA Kenya was a unique opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about animal welfare, sustainable food systems and the future of ethical farming practices across borders. I was proud to raise awareness about aquatic animal welfare and share the work we’re doing. What stood out most was witnessing aquatic animal welfare gain visibility in global discussions.”
Mohamed’s presence and participation underscored the diversity of perspectives within the African food production landscape. He added:
“Sharing insights from Egypt’s aquaculture sector and learning from passionate experts, researchers and advocates from across Africa and beyond was a truly enriching and rewarding experience.”
Both Faisal and Mohamed participated in panels and side-discussions that helped amplify ESR’s mission to centre fish welfare in global conversations about food security, sustainability and ethics. The summit also laid the groundwork for future collaborations with organisations that share our commitment to humane, equitable food production systems that are free of suffering.
Beyond our speaking and moderating engagements, ESR was proud to sponsor the first AVA event on the continent and in particular, to sponsor the attendance of another African participant. Our booth attracted a wide range of visitors, and our interactive activities and materials led to many meaningful conversations with key stakeholders. The summit also provided opportunities to connect with current and potential partners (more on those collaborations soon!).
As a nonprofit dedicated to reducing the suffering of aquatic animals used in the food system, we believe that Africa has the potential not just to innovate, but to lead in developing welfare-centred aquaculture systems before intensification of the sector takes hold. The AVA Kenya Summit was a powerful reminder of that potential — and a milestone in the movement to make cruelty-free food production a global standard.
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