Workshop on fish farming at Akuse

Alhaji Mahama Adams, the National Coordinator of Youth in Agriculture Programme, has called for the development of aquaculture.

He said it was against this background that the government had included aquaculture as one of the main modules under the Youth in Agriculture Programme.

Alhaji Mahama was speaking at the opening ceremony of a five- day training workshop for prospective fish farmers at Akuse on Thursday.

The workshop, which was to equip participants in the techniques of modern fish farming methods, drew participants from, Greater Accra, Western, Eastern, Brong-Ahafo, Volta, Ashanti and Central regions.

He said the fisheries sector in the country was presently contributing significantly to national socio-economic development objectives relating to food security, employment, poverty reduction and foreign exchange earnings.

He said the country’s total annual fish requirements was estimated at 880,000 tones while annual national fish production averages 420,000 tones leaving an annual deficit of 460,000 tones.

Alhaji Mahama said the deficit was made up through fish imports from the United States, Canada and European countries.

He said the fisheries sector accounted for 4.5 percent of the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Alhaji Mahama said under the programme, beneficiary youths would be given comprehensive training in aquaculture and would be supported with inputs on credit.

The beneficiaries would be expected to pay the variable cost after every cycle of production.

Source: GNA