HIBAPRESS – Follow-up
The Ivorian government and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched a project in the city of San Pedro (southwest of Côte d'Ivoire) aimed at promoting the blue economy, with a financial envelope of approximately 29 million euros, equivalent to 19 billion CFA francs.
Local press reported that the "Development of Competitive Value Chains for Aquaculture and Sustainable Fisheries" (ProDeCAP) project, which spans five years, aims to ensure the sustainable transformation of the marine fishing sector and reduce the country's dependence on fish imports. According to the Ivorian Minister of Animal Resources and Fisheries, Sidi Tiémoko Touré, about 700,000 people are expected to benefit directly and indirectly from this project, half of whom are women, including 50,000 in the field of aquaculture and 650,000 in the fishing sector, thus forming a strategic turning point towards achieving food sovereignty for Côte d'Ivoire. The minister, who attended the launch of this project, explained that fish is the main source of protein for Ivorians, with an average of 24.9 kilograms per person per year, while national production currently covers only 20 percent of the needs. The Ivorian official praised this project, which will address, thanks to funding from the African Development Bank and the technical expertise of the FAO, the major challenges associated with the deterioration of ecosystems, illegal fishing, post-fishing losses, and limited access to financing. For his part, the FAO representative in Côte d'Ivoire, Joseph N'dah, pointed out that the launch of this pioneering project falls within the framework of promoting the blue economy and its development in the country. He highlighted that the contributions of the FAO will focus on strengthening the scientific basis necessary for the sustainable management of fisheries, especially through the assessment of fish resources and coastal lakes and continental waters.
