AMERICAN TILAPIA ASSOCIATION
Dr. Modadugu Vijay Gupta was a leader of the Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) program for the World Fish Center up until his recent retirement. GIFT Tilapia have been distributed around the world and have contributed to the diets of the poor in dozens of countries. Dr. Gupta also has directed breeding programs for carps and other fishes which have raised the standard of living for over a million fish farmers in the developing world. Many of these farmers have also now been able to participate in the global economy as GIFT tilapia are now processed and exported to consumers in the US and Europe.
Dr. Gupta’s pioneering breeding of tilapia and other pond fish adaptable to a variety of different environments in rural areas—from Bangladesh to the Mekong Basin countries—combined with his tenacious efforts to help millions of small-holder farmers gain access to innovative aquaculture techniques to produce a vital supply of nutritious food brought a “Blue Revolution” to Southeast Asia and beyond.
