Fish production gets support from World Bank

23/12/10

Story: Musah Yahaya Jafaru
THE World Bank is to assist the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to improve aquaculture production and reduce the about 460,000 metric tonnes of fish deficit in the country.
The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Fisheries, Nii Amasah Namoale, said the aquaculture project, which will be launched next year, would save the country the $2 million it spent annually on the importation of fish.
He made this known when he launched the Ghana Aquaculture Association (GAA) in Accra on Tuesday.
Nii Amasah said the ministry was also to collaborate with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) to engage in tilapia production.
He said under the project, improved feeds would be given to tilapia to ensure that they were ready for consumption within six months.
Nii Amasah said the Export Development and Agriculture Fund Bill was being prepared to support farmers and fishermen.
Besides, he said, importers of agriculture products would also enjoy wavers.
Nii Amasah indicated that investors from Brazil and Israel had invested in fish feed in the country.
He asked other investors would come and invest in the fish feed to improve the feeding of fish and reduce the fish deficit.
The Chairman of the Fisheries Commission, Mr Mike Akyeampong, said the Commission was working hard to enforce the laws on fishing.
He indicated that the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice had given the Commission the power to prosecute cases against the Commission in the courts.
He, therefore, charged fishermen to comply with the regulations governing fishing to avoid prosecution.
Mr Akyeampong said what was important was for fishermen to operate in an environmentally friendly and socially feasible environment.
The Vice-Chairperson of the GAA, Ms Patricia Sarfo, stressed the need for the government to support aquaculture production as it would contribute to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).