[ 2012-05-05 ]

FAO hands over aquaculture development plan to Ministry of Agriculture
Accra May 05, GNA-Mr Musa S. Mbenga, Country
Representative of Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) on Friday in Accra presented
the Ghana National Aquaculture Development Plan
(GNADP) to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

The plan would provide a solid foundation
necessary of attracting and guiding the needed
investment to be able to increase the country's
aquaculture production.

Mr Mbenga said the GNADP provides a road map where
aquaculture will contribute to food and
nutritional security, employment generation,
increased incomes, economic growth and poverty
reduction.

He said it is estimated that by the close of 2012,
more than 50 per cent of world's food fish supply
would originate from aquaculture adding that
Ghana's annual output from aquaculture is
estimated at 10,200 tons compared to an output of
1,000 tons in 2005, 3,800 tons in 2007 and 7,100
tons in 2009.

Mr Mbenga noted that there has been a rise in
aquaculture trends in the country which has
testified the fact that the nation has the
potential to improve on its current fish farming
output to contribute to food security and economic
growth.

He stressed that the Fisheries commission in its
bid to exploit the country's full potential for
aquaculture, has set a target of achieving 100,000
tons of farmed fish in five years .

Mr Mbenga said for government to achieve this
target, it sought support from FAO to assist in
implementing the National Aquaculture Strategic
Framework (NASF) adding that the Food and
Agriculture Sector Development Policy II took its
inputs for aquaculture development from the NASF.

He added that the assistance to government through
the partnership has produced initiates intended to
help achieve the 100,000 tons target for 2016.

Mr Mbenga noted that the initiatives include the
GNADP, Aquaculture Spatial Database Establishment
Report, Management Report, Capacity building for
the fisheries commission staff in the use of
Geographic Information System and Spatial Mapping
of Agriculture sites in the ten regions.

Mr Nii Amasah Namoale, Deputy Minister of Food and
Agriculture thanked the FAO Country Representative
and pledge government support in implementing the
framework to achieve its intended targets.

Source - GNA

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