Cape Coast, Dec. 05, GNA – The Ministery of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD), has assured stakeholders of government’s resolve to close Ghana’s 200,000 metric tonnes annual fish demand deficit.
The commitment is in tandem with government’s vision to transform and grow the aquaculture sub-sector to increase domestic fish production, reduce fish import and create job opportunities along the value chain by providing a conducive environment.
Mr Ishmael Nii Adjei Browne, Director of Research, Statistics and Information Management Directorate at the MoFAD, gave the assurance at the National Farmers’ Day Forum held in Cape Coast on the theme: “Planting for Food and Jobs – Consolidating food systems in Ghana.”
In all, 165 Farmers and fishermen were awarded with Alhaji Mashud Mohammed, a 44-year-old former teacher, from Moin District in the Northern Region, emerging as the overall National Best Farmer, and Nana Kweku Ehun, 53-year-old man from Apam, adjudged the Best Fisher.
The forum assembled all current and former award winners, partners, and key stakeholders in the agricultural value-chain to discuss issues affecting the progress of the sector and solicited views on the way forward.
In spite of the recent expansion in domestic aquaculture production, Mr Browne indicated that the growth could not bridge the deficit gap, which was augmented by imported frozen fish products.
The fall in production he attributed to insufficient quality fish feed, seed, finance, weak public-private networking, marketing systems challenges, and diseases outbreak.
Others were Illegal, Unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices, which remained a major challenge, coupled with degradation of the aquatic environment, overcapacity, overfishing, and low enforcement of laws and regulations.
However, the government has provided support and developed a technical framework for effective planning, development, and regulation of the fisheries and aquaculture subsector and reviewed policies.
Key initiatives being undertaken to achieve this include the implementation of the Aquaculture for Food and Jobs (AFJ), improving the production and supply of good quality fingerlings provision of extension services, provision of infrastructure (hatcheries), and essential aquaculture inputs.
He noted that the fisheries sector played a critical role in the socio-economic development of the country as it provided a livelihood for more than three million Ghanaians along the value-chain.
It contributes to the sustainability of national food and nutrition security, constituting 60 percent of animal protein and estimated 0.9 percent to GDP and one billion dollars in revenue.
Aquaculture development also presents huge opportunities for food production and security and employment due to optimal environmental conditions and high demand for fish locally.
GNA