Project to improve nutrition takes off
An inter-regional workshop to kick-start a project designed to find solutions to health problems faced by Ghanaians as a result of malnutrition has been organised in Accra.
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The project dubbed: “Fish For Food,” also seeks to impart knowledge to participants on the benefits of taking a well-balanced diet to prevent complicated health issues.
Collaboration
The collaboration between Ghana and the India Civil Society, the project will educate and encourage Ghanaians on the benefits of fish food and the need to elevate food security in the country.
According to Prof. Maarten Bavinck from the University of Amsterdam, the “Fish For Food” project will last for four years to be able to achieve its objectives.
Prof. Bavinck said the partnership would focus mainly on how to improve and manage fishing industries across the country.
“The project is to ensure that people eat nutritious food, for healthy living and to ensure that children do not suffer from malnutrition,” he said.
He said the initiative would bring improvement to people’s access to fish, the market chain and how the society and the government could help to improve the fish market.
Varieties of fish
Mr Bavinck said the project would also focus on low price varieties of fishes available for consumers and how the market chain of fish would be affordable to all.
According to him, due to the stable governance of the country, the objective of the initiative would be achieved.
The initiative would be funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research, 12 Universities from both private and public institutions, civil society organisations and other associations in order to achieve its goal.
Fishing industry
Participants discussed major issues like over fishing and food security, ineffective enforcement of laws, climatic change and competition among fleets.
Dr Benjamin Champion from the Department of Fisheries and Watershed of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) highlighted some of the challenges facing the fishing industries in the country.
The President of the Ghana National Fishing Industry, Lt Nii Tackey, said through the support of the World Bank, the fisheries industry had been able to educate fish farmers on aquaculture practices to allow for maximum impact in the industry and to boost the nation’s economy.
“When adequate education is given, it will be easy for the laws to be implemented,” he said.
