*The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation discloses the agro-project will contribute to food and nutrition security, economic prosperity and job creation, especially for women and youths by ensuring the economic, social and environmental sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture value chains in the country

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has said its FISH4ACP project in Nigeria would boost catfish production and African catfish value chain, which is worth 625 million dollars.

FISH4ACP is 鈥渁n initiative of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) contributing to food and nutrition security, economic prosperity and job creation by ensuring the economic, social and environmental sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture value chains.鈥�

Fred Kafeero, FAO Representative in Nigeria, said this during the FISH4ACP Catfish Value Chain Analysis Validation Workshop Tuesday, March 22, in Abuja, FCT, agency report said.

Kafeero stated that production of fisheries in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries has grown from 4.6million tonnes in 1990 to 8.5 million tonnes in 2016 as aquaculture production jumped from 50, 000 tonnes to 790, 000 tons within the same period.

The FAO Country Representative, represented by Dr. Abubakar Suleiman, said that the project in Nigeria would give special attention to developing small-holder fish farmers and creating multiple jobs, especially for women and youths.

The production represents less than 10 per cent of global fish trade as Nigeria鈥檚 aquaculture production increased from 22,000 tonnes to over 300,000 tons in 2017.

Kafeero also stated: 鈥淭he project focuses on catfish and for this, the inception phase of the project commenced with a comprehensive analysis of the catfish value chain.

鈥淭his is very important not only in generating evidence but also in designing and upgrading strategy that will aligned to the strategic objectives of the project.

鈥淔ISH4ACP will pay special attention to small and medium-sized businesses, because of their potential to deliver economic and social benefits, particularly for women and youth.鈥�

 

 

 

He however expressed concern that increased pressure on ecosystems and the impacts of climate change has continued to hamper the contribution of the sector to economic growth, food and nutritional security.

Speaking at the event, Ime Umoh, Director of Fishery Department,聽 Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said that government had made enormous investment in growing the fishery sector in Nigeria.

Umoh also added that machinery has been put in place to support the FAO鈥檚 fishery project success.

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