A NEW Pan-African project has been launched to strengthen the continent’s great potential for increased trade in fish.

Fish

‘FishTrade for a Better Future’, a European Commission funded project to be implemented by WorldFish, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), would strengthen value chains and, with a focus on sustainability, give better access to intra-regional markets and subsequently improve food and nutritional security and income in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to WorldFish, the project would work in four ‘corridors’ to generate information on the structure, products and value of intra-regional fish trade and its contribution to food security in sub-Saharan Africa.

Recommendations would be prepared on policies, fish certification guidelines and quality and safety standards, as well as regulations.

WorldFish revealed that the programme would equip governments with the capacities needed to implement the African Union Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa.

In addition, it has been designed to support the work of governments towards implementation of the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods.