C’ttee to implement agreement on fish production inaugurated
A project steering committee has been set up to implement an agreement signed between Ghana and Italy for the adoption of the “blue economy” model to enhance fish production in Ghana.
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The setting-up of the committee is in line with an agreement signed between the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MoFAD) and the fishing production district of Mazara Del Vallo of Italy in October 2015 in Italy.
Among other objectives, the agreement seeks to increase Ghana’s fisheries sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) from 4.7 per cent to 27 per cent.
Blue economy
The blue economy is an international model that seeks to shift society from scarcity to abundance with what is locally available by tackling issues that cause environmental problems.
The blue economy, in relation to the fisheries cluster development in Ghana, would include the conceptualisation of the ocean into a development space where spatial planning integrates conservation, sustainable use, oil and mineral wealth extraction, bio-prospecting, sustainable energy production and marine transport.
Inaugurating the committee in Accra yesterday the Sector Minister, Ms Sherry Ayitey, said the collaboration was to facilitate the diversification of the economy and the development of a network of activities related to the fishery sector based on the blue economy, a model of Mazara Del Valla’s economic and social development.
She said the move was also to strengthen the relationship between Ghana and Italy through the scientific and technological development of the fishing industry.
The committee is co-chaired by Ms Ayitey and Mr Giovanni Tumbiolo, the President of the District of Mazara Del Vallo, and the leader of the delegation to Ghana with representatives from both countries.
Italian support
Ms Ayitey said the initiative would promote the development of fishery and aquaculture in Ghana, adding that the Italians would provide expertise and develop a feasibility study to identify sites for cluster activities, with support from their Ghanaian counterparts.
“The blue economy model is a departure from the conventional approach or business as usual where the oceans had before now been considered as a source of free resources and receptacle for waste generated from economic activities,” she said.
Ms Ayitey said the concept integrates equity in access to the benefits, development and the sharing of benefits from marine resources while expanding the scope of re-investment into human development with respect to business activities and opportunity related to the marine and aquatic environment.
In his contribution, Mr Tumbiolo said both countries had agreed to co-operate in the promotion and creation of a fishery cluster in Ghana and develop the necessary activities based on the model of Mazara Del Vallo.
He said some of the areas of collaboration under the MoU were the development of fishery ports in Ghana, the construction and maintenance of fishing boats and the building of electronic and mechanical workshops.